Is Don Padgett #157 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1939 Play Ball · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Don Padgett #157 sells for $15,712 against $44.65 raw: a $15,667 spread, 352× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,345) 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)
- $44.65
- PSA 10
- $15,712
- PSA 9
- $2,345
- Gem premium
- 352×
- 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 | $15,712 | +$15,642 | +$15,617 | +$15,517 |
| PSA 9 | $2,345 | +$2,276 | +$2,251 | +$2,151 |
| PSA 8 | $450 | +$380 | +$355 | +$255 |
Net = sale price − $44.65 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% | $5,687 | +$5,592 |
| 50% | $9,029 | +$8,934 |
| 75% | $12,370 | +$12,275 |
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 | $20,425 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $15,712 | −$4,713 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $9,427 | −$10,998 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $9,427 | −$10,998 | 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 Don Padgett #157 — FAQ
Is Don Padgett #157 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Don Padgett #157 sells for $15,712 against $44.65 raw: a $15,667 spread, 352× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,345) 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 Don Padgett #157 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Don Padgett #157 (Baseball Cards 1939 Play Ball) sells for about $15,712 versus $44.65 for a raw near-mint copy — a 352× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Don Padgett #157?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $20,425, ahead of PSA 10 at $15,712. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Don Padgett #157 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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