Is Hal W. Smith #242 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1961 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Hal W. Smith #242 sells for $3,086 against $15.02 raw: a $3,071 spread, 205× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($440) 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)
- $15.02
- PSA 10
- $3,086
- PSA 9
- $440
- Gem premium
- 205×
- 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 | $3,086 | +$3,046 | +$3,021 | +$2,921 |
| PSA 9 | $440 | +$400 | +$375 | +$275 |
| PSA 8 | $241 | +$201 | +$176 | +$76.21 |
Net = sale price − $15.02 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% | $1,102 | +$1,036 |
| 50% | $1,763 | +$1,698 |
| 75% | $2,425 | +$2,360 |
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 | $4,012 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $3,086 | −$926 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,852 | −$2,160 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,852 | −$2,160 | 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 | $3,086 | $1,852 | $4,012 | $1,852 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $852 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $440 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $241 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $129 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Hal W. Smith #242 — FAQ
Is Hal W. Smith #242 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Hal W. Smith #242 sells for $3,086 against $15.02 raw: a $3,071 spread, 205× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($440) 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 Hal W. Smith #242 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Hal W. Smith #242 (Baseball Cards 1961 Topps) sells for about $3,086 versus $15.02 for a raw near-mint copy — a 205× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Hal W. Smith #242?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $4,012, ahead of PSA 10 at $3,086. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Hal W. Smith #242 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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