Is Lou Gehrig #73 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2004 SP Legendary Cuts · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Lou Gehrig #73 sell for $5.00, only $3.22 above the $1.78 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($4.91) 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)
- $1.78
- Grade 9.5
- $5.00
- PSA 9
- $4.91
- Gem premium
- 2.8×
- 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 | $5.00 | −$21.78 | −$46.78 | −$147 |
| PSA 9 | $4.91 | −$21.87 | −$46.87 | −$147 |
Net = sale price − $1.78 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% | $4.93 | −$46.85 |
| 50% | $4.96 | −$46.83 |
| 75% | $4.98 | −$46.80 |
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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Other 2004 SP Legendary Cuts cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Lou Gehrig #73 — FAQ
Is Lou Gehrig #73 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Lou Gehrig #73 sell for $5.00, only $3.22 above the $1.78 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($4.91) 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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