Is Chief Bender #172 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1940 Play Ball · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Chief Bender #172 sells for $13,254 against $39.95 raw: a $13,214 spread, 332× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,980) 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)
- $39.95
- PSA 10
- $13,254
- PSA 9
- $1,980
- Gem premium
- 332×
- 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 | $13,254 | +$13,189 | +$13,164 | +$13,064 |
| PSA 9 | $1,980 | +$1,915 | +$1,890 | +$1,790 |
| PSA 8 | $744 | +$679 | +$654 | +$554 |
Net = sale price − $39.95 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% | $4,798 | +$4,709 |
| 50% | $7,617 | +$7,527 |
| 75% | $10,436 | +$10,346 |
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 | $17,231 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $13,254 | −$3,977 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $7,953 | −$9,278 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $7,953 | −$9,278 | 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 Chief Bender #172 — FAQ
Is Chief Bender #172 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Chief Bender #172 sells for $13,254 against $39.95 raw: a $13,214 spread, 332× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,980) 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 Chief Bender #172 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Chief Bender #172 (Baseball Cards 1940 Play Ball) sells for about $13,254 versus $39.95 for a raw near-mint copy — a 332× premium as of Sep 2, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Chief Bender #172?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $17,231, ahead of PSA 10 at $13,254. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Chief Bender #172 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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