Is Joe DiMaggio #26 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1939 Play Ball · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Joe DiMaggio #26 sells for $781,322 against $2,335 raw: a $778,987 spread, 335× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($116,359) 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)
- $2,335
- PSA 10
- $781,322
- PSA 9
- $116,359
- Gem premium
- 335×
- 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 | $781,322 | +$778,962 | +$778,937 | +$778,837 |
| PSA 9 | $116,359 | +$113,999 | +$113,974 | +$113,874 |
| PSA 8 | $28,885 | +$26,524 | +$26,499 | +$26,399 |
Net = sale price − $2,335 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% | $282,600 | +$280,214 |
| 50% | $448,840 | +$446,455 |
| 75% | $615,081 | +$612,696 |
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 | $1,015,718 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $781,322 | −$234,396 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $468,793 | −$546,925 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $468,793 | −$546,925 | 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 Joe DiMaggio #26 — FAQ
Is Joe DiMaggio #26 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Joe DiMaggio #26 sells for $781,322 against $2,335 raw: a $778,987 spread, 335× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($116,359) 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 Joe DiMaggio #26 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Joe DiMaggio #26 (Baseball Cards 1939 Play Ball) sells for about $781,322 versus $2,335 for a raw near-mint copy — a 335× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Joe DiMaggio #26?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,015,718, ahead of PSA 10 at $781,322. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Joe DiMaggio #26 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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