Is Harry Gumbert #54 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1939 Play Ball · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Harry Gumbert #54 sells for $5,165 against $14.81 raw: a $5,150 spread, 349× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($775) 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)
- $14.81
- PSA 10
- $5,165
- PSA 9
- $775
- Gem premium
- 349×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $5,165 | +$5,125 | +$5,100 | +$5,000 |
| PSA 9 | $775 | +$735 | +$710 | +$610 |
| PSA 8 | $146 | +$106 | +$81.44 | −$18.56 |
Net = sale price − $14.81 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% | $1,872 | +$1,807 |
| 50% | $2,970 | +$2,905 |
| 75% | $4,067 | +$4,002 |
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 | $6,714 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $5,165 | −$1,549 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $3,099 | −$3,615 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $3,099 | −$3,615 | 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 Harry Gumbert #54 — FAQ
Is Harry Gumbert #54 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Harry Gumbert #54 sells for $5,165 against $14.81 raw: a $5,150 spread, 349× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($775) 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 Harry Gumbert #54 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Harry Gumbert #54 (Baseball Cards 1939 Play Ball) sells for about $5,165 versus $14.81 for a raw near-mint copy — a 349× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Harry Gumbert #54?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $6,714, ahead of PSA 10 at $5,165. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Harry Gumbert #54 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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