Is Walt Masterson #157 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1949 Bowman · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Walt Masterson #157 sells for $4,930 against $18.50 raw: a $4,911 spread, 266× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($742) 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)
- $18.50
- PSA 10
- $4,930
- PSA 9
- $742
- Gem premium
- 266×
- 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 | $4,930 | +$4,886 | +$4,861 | +$4,761 |
| PSA 9 | $742 | +$698 | +$673 | +$573 |
| PSA 8 | $172 | +$129 | +$104 | +$3.71 |
Net = sale price − $18.50 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% | $1,789 | +$1,720 |
| 50% | $2,836 | +$2,767 |
| 75% | $3,883 | +$3,814 |
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 | $6,409 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $4,930 | −$1,479 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $2,958 | −$3,451 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $2,958 | −$3,451 | 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 Walt Masterson #157 — FAQ
Is Walt Masterson #157 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Walt Masterson #157 sells for $4,930 against $18.50 raw: a $4,911 spread, 266× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($742) 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 Walt Masterson #157 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Walt Masterson #157 (Baseball Cards 1949 Bowman) sells for about $4,930 versus $18.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 266× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Walt Masterson #157?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $6,409, ahead of PSA 10 at $4,930. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Walt Masterson #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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