Is Lou Berberet #96 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1959 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Lou Berberet #96 sells for $432 against $2.00 raw: a $430 spread, 216× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($153) 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)
- $2.00
- PSA 10
- $432
- PSA 9
- $153
- Gem premium
- 216×
- 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 | $432 | +$405 | +$380 | +$280 |
| PSA 9 | $153 | +$126 | +$101 | +$1.30 |
| PSA 8 | $35.00 | +$8.00 | −$17.00 | −$117 |
Net = sale price − $2.00 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% | $223 | +$171 |
| 50% | $292 | +$240 |
| 75% | $362 | +$310 |
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 | $561 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $432 | −$129 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $259 | −$302 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $259 | −$302 | 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 Lou Berberet #96 — FAQ
Is Lou Berberet #96 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lou Berberet #96 sells for $432 against $2.00 raw: a $430 spread, 216× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($153) 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 Lou Berberet #96 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lou Berberet #96 (Baseball Cards 1959 Topps) sells for about $432 versus $2.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 216× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lou Berberet #96?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $561, ahead of PSA 10 at $432. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lou Berberet #96 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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