Is Carl Yastrzemski #1 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1981 Drake's · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Carl Yastrzemski #1 sells for $74.39 against $1.25 raw: a $73.14 spread, 60× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.00) 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)
- $1.25
- PSA 10
- $74.39
- PSA 9
- $30.00
- Gem premium
- 60×
- 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 | $74.39 | +$48.14 | +$23.14 | −$76.86 |
| PSA 9 | $30.00 | +$3.75 | −$21.25 | −$121 |
| PSA 8 | $15.18 | −$11.07 | −$36.07 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $1.25 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% | $41.10 | −$10.15 |
| 50% | $52.20 | +$0.95 |
| 75% | $63.29 | +$12.04 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 48%. 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 | $97.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $74.39 | −$22.61 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $45.00 | −$52.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $45.00 | −$52.00 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $74.39 | $45.00 | $97.00 | $45.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $45.73 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $30.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $15.18 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $12.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1981 Drake's cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Carl Yastrzemski #1 — FAQ
Is Carl Yastrzemski #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Carl Yastrzemski #1 sells for $74.39 against $1.25 raw: a $73.14 spread, 60× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.00) 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 Carl Yastrzemski #1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Carl Yastrzemski #1 (Baseball Cards 1981 Drake's) sells for about $74.39 versus $1.25 for a raw near-mint copy — a 60× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Carl Yastrzemski #1?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $97.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $74.39. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Carl Yastrzemski #1 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 Carl Yastrzemski #1 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Carl Yastrzemski #1 breaks even when it gems about 48% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $30.00).
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.
Check my card free