Is Whitey Lockman #38 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1952 Bowman · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Whitey Lockman #38 sells for $1,160 against $4.07 raw: a $1,156 spread, 285× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($586) 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)
- $4.07
- PSA 10
- $1,160
- PSA 9
- $586
- Gem premium
- 285×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $1,160 | +$1,131 | +$1,106 | +$1,006 |
| PSA 9 | $586 | +$557 | +$532 | +$432 |
| PSA 8 | $114 | +$84.43 | +$59.43 | −$40.57 |
Net = sale price − $4.07 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% | $729 | +$675 |
| 50% | $873 | +$819 |
| 75% | $1,016 | +$962 |
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 | $1,508 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,160 | −$348 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $696 | −$812 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $696 | −$812 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,160 | $696 | $1,508 | $696 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $645 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $586 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $114 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $47.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Grading Whitey Lockman #38 — FAQ
Is Whitey Lockman #38 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Whitey Lockman #38 sells for $1,160 against $4.07 raw: a $1,156 spread, 285× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($586) 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 Whitey Lockman #38 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Whitey Lockman #38 (Baseball Cards 1952 Bowman) sells for about $1,160 versus $4.07 for a raw near-mint copy — a 285× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Whitey Lockman #38?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,508, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,160. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Whitey Lockman #38 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.
Is your baseball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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