Is Wayne Ambler #117 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1939 Play Ball · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Wayne Ambler #117 sells for $7,585 against $21.78 raw: a $7,563 spread, 348× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,135) 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)
- $21.78
- PSA 10
- $7,585
- PSA 9
- $1,135
- Gem premium
- 348×
- 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 | $7,585 | +$7,538 | +$7,513 | +$7,413 |
| PSA 9 | $1,135 | +$1,088 | +$1,063 | +$963 |
| PSA 8 | $249 | +$202 | +$177 | +$77.23 |
Net = sale price − $21.78 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% | $2,747 | +$2,676 |
| 50% | $4,360 | +$4,288 |
| 75% | $5,972 | +$5,900 |
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 | $9,860 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $7,585 | −$2,275 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $4,551 | −$5,309 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $4,551 | −$5,309 | 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 Wayne Ambler #117 — FAQ
Is Wayne Ambler #117 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Wayne Ambler #117 sells for $7,585 against $21.78 raw: a $7,563 spread, 348× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,135) 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 Wayne Ambler #117 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Wayne Ambler #117 (Baseball Cards 1939 Play Ball) sells for about $7,585 versus $21.78 for a raw near-mint copy — a 348× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Wayne Ambler #117?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $9,860, ahead of PSA 10 at $7,585. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Wayne Ambler #117 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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