
Is Josh Gibson #8 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1974 Laughlin Old Time Black Stars · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Josh Gibson #8 sells for $4,410 against $937 raw: a $3,473 spread, 4.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($4,009) 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)
- $937
- Grade 9.5
- $4,410
- PSA 9
- $4,009
- Gem premium
- 4.7×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $4,410 | +$3,448 | +$3,423 | +$3,323 |
| PSA 9 | $4,009 | +$3,047 | +$3,022 | +$2,922 |
| PSA 8 | $3,645 | +$2,682 | +$2,657 | +$2,557 |
Net = sale price − $937 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% | $4,109 | +$3,122 |
| 50% | $4,210 | +$3,222 |
| 75% | $4,310 | +$3,322 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $4,410 |
| 9 | $4,009 |
| 8 | $3,645 |
| 7 | $2,074 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1974 Laughlin Old Time Black Stars cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Josh Gibson #8 — FAQ
Is Josh Gibson #8 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Josh Gibson #8 sells for $4,410 against $937 raw: a $3,473 spread, 4.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($4,009) 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.
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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