Is Ken Raffensberger #176 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1949 Bowman · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ken Raffensberger #176 sells for $3,869 against $14.50 raw: a $3,854 spread, 267× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($583) 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)
- $14.50
- PSA 10
- $3,869
- PSA 9
- $583
- Gem premium
- 267×
- 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 | $3,869 | +$3,829 | +$3,804 | +$3,704 |
| PSA 9 | $583 | +$544 | +$519 | +$419 |
| PSA 8 | $88.17 | +$48.67 | +$23.67 | −$76.33 |
Net = sale price − $14.50 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% | $1,405 | +$1,340 |
| 50% | $2,226 | +$2,162 |
| 75% | $3,047 | +$2,983 |
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 | $5,029 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $3,869 | −$1,160 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $2,321 | −$2,708 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $2,321 | −$2,708 | 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 Ken Raffensberger #176 — FAQ
Is Ken Raffensberger #176 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ken Raffensberger #176 sells for $3,869 against $14.50 raw: a $3,854 spread, 267× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($583) 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 Ken Raffensberger #176 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ken Raffensberger #176 (Baseball Cards 1949 Bowman) sells for about $3,869 versus $14.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 267× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ken Raffensberger #176?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $5,029, ahead of PSA 10 at $3,869. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ken Raffensberger #176 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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