Is Satchell Paige #224 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1949 Bowman · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Satchell Paige #224 sells for $281,820 against $3,125 raw: a $278,695 spread, 90× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($256,200) 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)
- $3,125
- Grade 9.5
- $281,820
- PSA 9
- $256,200
- Gem premium
- 90×
- As of
- Sep 4, 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 | $281,820 | +$278,670 | +$278,645 | +$278,545 |
| PSA 9 | $256,200 | +$253,050 | +$253,025 | +$252,925 |
| PSA 8 | $26,400 | +$23,250 | +$23,225 | +$23,125 |
Net = sale price − $3,125 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% | $262,605 | +$259,430 |
| 50% | $269,010 | +$265,835 |
| 75% | $275,415 | +$272,240 |
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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Grading Satchell Paige #224 — FAQ
Is Satchell Paige #224 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Satchell Paige #224 sells for $281,820 against $3,125 raw: a $278,695 spread, 90× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($256,200) 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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