Is Lou Whitaker #298 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1989 Donruss · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Lou Whitaker #298 sells for $40.00 against $0.95 raw: a $39.05 spread, 42× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($33.00) 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)
- $0.95
- PSA 10
- $40.00
- PSA 9
- $33.00
- Gem premium
- 42×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $40.00 | +$14.05 | −$10.95 | −$111 |
| PSA 9 | $33.00 | +$7.05 | −$17.95 | −$118 |
| PSA 8 | $29.99 | +$4.04 | −$20.96 | −$121 |
Net = sale price − $0.95 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% | $34.75 | −$16.20 |
| 50% | $36.50 | −$14.45 |
| 75% | $38.25 | −$12.70 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $52.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $40.00 | −$12.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $24.00 | −$28.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $24.00 | −$28.00 | 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 Lou Whitaker #298 — FAQ
Is Lou Whitaker #298 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lou Whitaker #298 sells for $40.00 against $0.95 raw: a $39.05 spread, 42× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($33.00) 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 Lou Whitaker #298 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lou Whitaker #298 (Baseball Cards 1989 Donruss) sells for about $40.00 versus $0.95 for a raw near-mint copy — a 42× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lou Whitaker #298?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $52.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $40.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lou Whitaker #298 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.
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