Is Bud Thomas #158 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1939 Play Ball · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Bud Thomas #158 sells for $17,049 against $48.61 raw: a $17,000 spread, 351× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,544) 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)
- $48.61
- PSA 10
- $17,049
- PSA 9
- $2,544
- Gem premium
- 351×
- As of
- Sep 2, 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 | $17,049 | +$16,975 | +$16,950 | +$16,850 |
| PSA 9 | $2,544 | +$2,471 | +$2,446 | +$2,346 |
| PSA 8 | $499 | +$425 | +$400 | +$300 |
Net = sale price − $48.61 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% | $6,171 | +$6,072 |
| 50% | $9,797 | +$9,698 |
| 75% | $13,423 | +$13,324 |
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 | $22,164 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $17,049 | −$5,115 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $10,229 | −$11,935 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $10,229 | −$11,935 | 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 Bud Thomas #158 — FAQ
Is Bud Thomas #158 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Bud Thomas #158 sells for $17,049 against $48.61 raw: a $17,000 spread, 351× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,544) 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 Bud Thomas #158 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Bud Thomas #158 (Baseball Cards 1939 Play Ball) sells for about $17,049 versus $48.61 for a raw near-mint copy — a 351× premium as of Sep 2, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Bud Thomas #158?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $22,164, ahead of PSA 10 at $17,049. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Bud Thomas #158 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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