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 $1.26 raw: a $73.13 spread, 59× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.36) 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)
- $1.26
- PSA 10
- $74.39
- PSA 9
- $30.36
- Gem premium
- 59×
- 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 | $74.39 | +$48.13 | +$23.13 | −$76.87 |
| PSA 9 | $30.36 | +$4.10 | −$20.90 | −$121 |
| PSA 8 | $15.13 | −$11.13 | −$36.13 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $1.26 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% | $41.37 | −$9.89 |
| 50% | $52.38 | +$1.12 |
| 75% | $63.38 | +$12.12 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 47%. 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.
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Grading Carl Yastrzemski #1 — FAQ
Is Carl Yastrzemski #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Carl Yastrzemski #1 sells for $74.39 against $1.26 raw: a $73.13 spread, 59× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.36) 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 $1.26 for a raw near-mint copy — a 59× premium as of Sep 4, 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 47% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $30.36).
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