Is Rich Gale #38T worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1982 Topps Traded · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Rich Gale #38T sell for $24.00, only $22.28 above the $1.72 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($21.99) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.72
- Grade 9.5
- $24.00
- PSA 9
- $21.99
- Gem premium
- 14×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $24.00 | −$2.72 | −$27.72 | −$128 |
| PSA 9 | $21.99 | −$4.73 | −$29.73 | −$130 |
| PSA 8 | $3.67 | −$23.05 | −$48.05 | −$148 |
Net = sale price − $1.72 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% | $22.49 | −$29.23 |
| 50% | $22.99 | −$28.73 |
| 75% | $23.50 | −$28.22 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Rich Gale #38T — FAQ
Is Rich Gale #38T worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Rich Gale #38T sell for $24.00, only $22.28 above the $1.72 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($21.99) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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