Is Dale Earnhardt Jr. #1 worth grading?
Racing · Racing Cards 2026 Panini Donruss NASCAR Next Day Autograph · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dale Earnhardt Jr. #1 sells for $331 against $66.50 raw: a $264 spread, 5.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($114) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $66.50
- PSA 10
- $331
- PSA 9
- $114
- Gem premium
- 5.0×
- As of
- Sep 4, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — PSA 10 | $331 | +$239 | +$214 | +$114 |
| PSA 9 | $114 | +$22.89 | −$2.11 | −$102 |
| PSA 8 | $65.01 | −$26.49 | −$51.49 | −$151 |
Net = sale price − $66.50 raw value − fee. Fee tiers are illustrative; plug your grader's current price into the calculator below.
Expected value — how often does it need to gem?
| Chance it gems | Expected sale | Expected net (standard fee) |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | $168 | +$51.99 |
| 50% | $223 | +$106 |
| 75% | $277 | +$160 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $430 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $331 | −$99.21 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $198 | −$232 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $198 | −$232 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
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Grading Dale Earnhardt Jr. #1 — FAQ
Is Dale Earnhardt Jr. #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dale Earnhardt Jr. #1 sells for $331 against $66.50 raw: a $264 spread, 5.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($114) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Dale Earnhardt Jr. #1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dale Earnhardt Jr. #1 (Racing Cards 2026 Panini Donruss NASCAR Next Day Autograph) sells for about $331 versus $66.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.0× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dale Earnhardt Jr. #1?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $430, ahead of PSA 10 at $331. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dale Earnhardt Jr. #1 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
What gem rate makes grading Dale Earnhardt Jr. #1 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Dale Earnhardt Jr. #1 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $114).
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