Is Babe Ruth [Gold] #1 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2013 Topps Archives · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Babe Ruth [Gold] #1 sells for $61.00 against $18.99 raw: a $42.01 spread, 3.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($55.00) 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)
- $18.99
- Grade 9.5
- $61.00
- PSA 9
- $55.00
- Gem premium
- 3.2×
- 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 | $61.00 | +$17.01 | −$7.99 | −$108 |
| PSA 9 | $55.00 | +$11.01 | −$13.99 | −$114 |
| PSA 8 | $50.00 | +$6.01 | −$18.99 | −$119 |
Net = sale price − $18.99 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% | $56.50 | −$12.49 |
| 50% | $58.00 | −$10.99 |
| 75% | $59.50 | −$9.49 |
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 2013 Topps Archives cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Babe Ruth [Gold] #1 — FAQ
Is Babe Ruth [Gold] #1 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Babe Ruth [Gold] #1 sells for $61.00 against $18.99 raw: a $42.01 spread, 3.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($55.00) 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.
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