Is Lou Gehrig #61 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1934 Goudey · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Lou Gehrig #61 sells for $1,083,774 against $2,674 raw: a $1,081,099 spread, 405× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($161,232) 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)
- $2,674
- PSA 10
- $1,083,774
- PSA 9
- $161,232
- Gem premium
- 405×
- 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 | $1,083,774 | +$1,081,074 | +$1,081,049 | +$1,080,949 |
| PSA 9 | $161,232 | +$158,532 | +$158,507 | +$158,407 |
| PSA 8 | $78,276 | +$75,577 | +$75,552 | +$75,452 |
Net = sale price − $2,674 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% | $391,867 | +$389,143 |
| 50% | $622,503 | +$619,778 |
| 75% | $853,138 | +$850,414 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $1,408,906 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,083,774 | −$325,132 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $650,264 | −$758,642 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $650,264 | −$758,642 | 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 Lou Gehrig #61 — FAQ
Is Lou Gehrig #61 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lou Gehrig #61 sells for $1,083,774 against $2,674 raw: a $1,081,099 spread, 405× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($161,232) 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 Lou Gehrig #61 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lou Gehrig #61 (Baseball Cards 1934 Goudey) sells for about $1,083,774 versus $2,674 for a raw near-mint copy — a 405× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lou Gehrig #61?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,408,906, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,083,774. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lou Gehrig #61 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.
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