Is Hank Sauer #49 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1951 Topps Blue Back · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Hank Sauer #49 sells for $5,067 against $20.16 raw: a $5,047 spread, 251× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,200) 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)
- $20.16
- PSA 10
- $5,067
- PSA 9
- $1,200
- Gem premium
- 251×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $5,067 | +$5,022 | +$4,997 | +$4,897 |
| PSA 9 | $1,200 | +$1,155 | +$1,130 | +$1,030 |
| PSA 8 | $401 | +$355 | +$330 | +$230 |
Net = sale price − $20.16 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% | $2,167 | +$2,097 |
| 50% | $3,134 | +$3,064 |
| 75% | $4,100 | +$4,030 |
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 | $6,588 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $5,067 | −$1,521 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $3,040 | −$3,548 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $3,040 | −$3,548 | 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 Hank Sauer #49 — FAQ
Is Hank Sauer #49 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Hank Sauer #49 sells for $5,067 against $20.16 raw: a $5,047 spread, 251× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,200) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Hank Sauer #49 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Hank Sauer #49 (Baseball Cards 1951 Topps Blue Back) sells for about $5,067 versus $20.16 for a raw near-mint copy — a 251× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Hank Sauer #49?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $6,588, ahead of PSA 10 at $5,067. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Hank Sauer #49 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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