Is Marvin Owen #287 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1938 Goudey · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Marvin Owen #287 sells for $12,448 against $35.80 raw: a $12,413 spread, 348× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,859) 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)
- $35.80
- PSA 10
- $12,448
- PSA 9
- $1,859
- Gem premium
- 348×
- 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 | $12,448 | +$12,388 | +$12,363 | +$12,263 |
| PSA 9 | $1,859 | +$1,798 | +$1,773 | +$1,673 |
| PSA 8 | $698 | +$637 | +$612 | +$512 |
Net = sale price − $35.80 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% | $4,506 | +$4,420 |
| 50% | $7,154 | +$7,068 |
| 75% | $9,801 | +$9,715 |
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 | $16,183 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $12,448 | −$3,735 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $7,469 | −$8,714 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $7,469 | −$8,714 | 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 Marvin Owen #287 — FAQ
Is Marvin Owen #287 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Marvin Owen #287 sells for $12,448 against $35.80 raw: a $12,413 spread, 348× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,859) 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 Marvin Owen #287 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Marvin Owen #287 (Baseball Cards 1938 Goudey) sells for about $12,448 versus $35.80 for a raw near-mint copy — a 348× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Marvin Owen #287?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $16,183, ahead of PSA 10 at $12,448. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Marvin Owen #287 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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