![Wally Westlake [Black Back] #38 (Baseball Cards 1952 Topps) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/yf4AAeSw6FJqZshV/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Wally Westlake [Black Back] #38 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1952 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Wally Westlake [Black Back] #38 sells for $2,345 against $17.00 raw: a $2,328 spread, 138× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($752) 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)
- $17.00
- PSA 10
- $2,345
- PSA 9
- $752
- Gem premium
- 138×
- 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 | $2,345 | +$2,303 | +$2,278 | +$2,178 |
| PSA 9 | $752 | +$710 | +$685 | +$585 |
| PSA 8 | $684 | +$642 | +$617 | +$517 |
Net = sale price − $17.00 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% | $1,150 | +$1,083 |
| 50% | $1,549 | +$1,482 |
| 75% | $1,947 | +$1,880 |
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 | $3,049 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $2,345 | −$704 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,407 | −$1,642 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,407 | −$1,642 | 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 Wally Westlake [Black Back] #38 — FAQ
Is Wally Westlake [Black Back] #38 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Wally Westlake [Black Back] #38 sells for $2,345 against $17.00 raw: a $2,328 spread, 138× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($752) 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 Wally Westlake [Black Back] #38 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Wally Westlake [Black Back] #38 (Baseball Cards 1952 Topps) sells for about $2,345 versus $17.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 138× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Wally Westlake [Black Back] #38?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $3,049, ahead of PSA 10 at $2,345. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Wally Westlake [Black Back] #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.
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