Is The Early Years #1 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1959 Fleer Ted Williams · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 The Early Years #1 sells for $2,287 against $11.63 raw: a $2,276 spread, 197× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,434) 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)
- $11.63
- PSA 10
- $2,287
- PSA 9
- $1,434
- Gem premium
- 197×
- 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 | $2,287 | +$2,251 | +$2,226 | +$2,126 |
| PSA 9 | $1,434 | +$1,397 | +$1,372 | +$1,272 |
| PSA 8 | $141 | +$105 | +$79.61 | −$20.39 |
Net = sale price − $11.63 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% | $1,647 | +$1,586 |
| 50% | $1,861 | +$1,799 |
| 75% | $2,074 | +$2,012 |
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 | $2,973 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $2,287 | −$686 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,372 | −$1,601 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,372 | −$1,601 | 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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Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1959 Fleer Ted Williams cards worth checking
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![Ted's All Star [Record] #63 1959 Fleer Ted Williams card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/aEIAAeSwyqhpcxIQ/s-l500.jpg)
![Ted Williams & [Jim Thorpe] #70 1959 Fleer Ted Williams card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/U~YAAeSwan9qUtNs/s-l500.jpg)
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Grading The Early Years #1 — FAQ
Is The Early Years #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 The Early Years #1 sells for $2,287 against $11.63 raw: a $2,276 spread, 197× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,434) 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 The Early Years #1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 The Early Years #1 (Baseball Cards 1959 Fleer Ted Williams) sells for about $2,287 versus $11.63 for a raw near-mint copy — a 197× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for The Early Years #1?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $2,973, ahead of PSA 10 at $2,287. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does The Early Years #1 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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