Is Hank Bauer #398 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1961 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Hank Bauer #398 sells for $505 against $2.62 raw: a $502 spread, 193× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($81.38) 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)
- $2.62
- PSA 10
- $505
- PSA 9
- $81.38
- Gem premium
- 193×
- 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 | $505 | +$477 | +$452 | +$352 |
| PSA 9 | $81.38 | +$53.76 | +$28.76 | −$71.24 |
| PSA 8 | $34.98 | +$7.36 | −$17.64 | −$118 |
Net = sale price − $2.62 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% | $187 | +$135 |
| 50% | $293 | +$240 |
| 75% | $399 | +$346 |
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 | $656 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $505 | −$151 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $303 | −$353 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $303 | −$353 | 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 Hank Bauer #398 — FAQ
Is Hank Bauer #398 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Hank Bauer #398 sells for $505 against $2.62 raw: a $502 spread, 193× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($81.38) 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 Hank Bauer #398 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Hank Bauer #398 (Baseball Cards 1961 Topps) sells for about $505 versus $2.62 for a raw near-mint copy — a 193× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Hank Bauer #398?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $656, ahead of PSA 10 at $505. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Hank Bauer #398 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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