Is Walter Johnson #3 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1980 Baseball Immortals · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Walter Johnson #3 sells for $79.99 against $1.28 raw: a $78.71 spread, 62× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($49.95) 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)
- $1.28
- PSA 10
- $79.99
- PSA 9
- $49.95
- Gem premium
- 62×
- 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 | $79.99 | +$53.71 | +$28.71 | −$71.29 |
| PSA 9 | $49.95 | +$23.67 | −$1.33 | −$101 |
Net = sale price − $1.28 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% | $57.46 | +$6.18 |
| 50% | $64.97 | +$13.69 |
| 75% | $72.48 | +$21.20 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 4%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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 | $104 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $79.99 | −$24.01 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $48.00 | −$56.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $48.00 | −$56.00 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1980 Baseball Immortals cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Walter Johnson #3 — FAQ
Is Walter Johnson #3 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Walter Johnson #3 sells for $79.99 against $1.28 raw: a $78.71 spread, 62× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($49.95) 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 Walter Johnson #3 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Walter Johnson #3 (Baseball Cards 1980 Baseball Immortals) sells for about $79.99 versus $1.28 for a raw near-mint copy — a 62× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Walter Johnson #3?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $104, ahead of PSA 10 at $79.99. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Walter Johnson #3 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.
What gem rate makes grading Walter Johnson #3 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Walter Johnson #3 breaks even when it gems about 4% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $49.95).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your baseball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
