Is Jim Tobin #9 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1939 Play Ball · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Jim Tobin #9 sells for $6,600 against $15.85 raw: a $6,584 spread, 416× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($988) 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)
- $15.85
- PSA 10
- $6,600
- PSA 9
- $988
- Gem premium
- 416×
- 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 | $6,600 | +$6,559 | +$6,534 | +$6,434 |
| PSA 9 | $988 | +$948 | +$923 | +$823 |
| PSA 8 | $155 | +$115 | +$89.50 | −$10.50 |
Net = sale price − $15.85 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% | $2,391 | +$2,325 |
| 50% | $3,794 | +$3,728 |
| 75% | $5,197 | +$5,131 |
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 | $8,580 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $6,600 | −$1,980 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $3,960 | −$4,620 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $3,960 | −$4,620 | 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 Jim Tobin #9 — FAQ
Is Jim Tobin #9 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Jim Tobin #9 sells for $6,600 against $15.85 raw: a $6,584 spread, 416× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($988) 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 Jim Tobin #9 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Jim Tobin #9 (Baseball Cards 1939 Play Ball) sells for about $6,600 versus $15.85 for a raw near-mint copy — a 416× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Jim Tobin #9?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $8,580, ahead of PSA 10 at $6,600. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Jim Tobin #9 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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