Is Aaron Judge #AJ worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2017 Topps Update 1987 Autographs · full price guide →
Worth grading only if it gems
A Grade 9.5 Aaron Judge #AJ brings $1,609 versus $1,470 raw — a $140 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($1,463) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money.
- Raw (NM)
- $1,470
- Grade 9.5
- $1,609
- PSA 9
- $1,463
- Gem premium
- 1.1×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $1,609 | +$115 | +$89.50 | −$10.50 |
| PSA 9 | $1,463 | −$32.00 | −$57.00 | −$157 |
| PSA 8 | $775 | −$720 | −$745 | −$845 |
Net = sale price − $1,470 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% | $1,499 | −$20.38 |
| 50% | $1,536 | +$16.25 |
| 75% | $1,572 | +$52.88 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 39%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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Other 2017 Topps Update 1987 Autographs cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Aaron Judge #AJ — FAQ
Is Aaron Judge #AJ worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Aaron Judge #AJ brings $1,609 versus $1,470 raw — a $140 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($1,463) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money.
What gem rate makes grading Aaron Judge #AJ break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Aaron Judge #AJ breaks even when it gems about 39% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $1,463).
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