Is James Wilson worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1940 Cincinnati Reds Team Issue · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 James Wilson sells for $94.00 against $12.50 raw: a $81.50 spread, 7.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($85.00) 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)
- $12.50
- Grade 9.5
- $94.00
- PSA 9
- $85.00
- Gem premium
- 7.5×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $94.00 | +$56.50 | +$31.50 | −$68.50 |
| PSA 9 | $85.00 | +$47.50 | +$22.50 | −$77.50 |
Net = sale price − $12.50 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% | $87.25 | +$24.75 |
| 50% | $89.50 | +$27.00 |
| 75% | $91.75 | +$29.25 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Full set checklist →Grading James Wilson — FAQ
Is James Wilson worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 James Wilson sells for $94.00 against $12.50 raw: a $81.50 spread, 7.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($85.00) 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.
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