Is Jay Hilgenberg #59 worth grading?
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Strong grading candidate — 68× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Jay Hilgenberg #59 sells for $101 against $1.49 raw: a $99.83 spread, 68× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.45) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.49
- PSA 10
- $101
- PSA 9
- $21.45
- Gem premium
- 68×
- 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 | $101 | +$74.83 | +$49.83 | −$50.17 |
| PSA 9 | $21.45 | −$5.04 | −$30.04 | −$130 |
| PSA 8 | $10.04 | −$16.45 | −$41.45 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $1.49 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% | $41.42 | −$10.07 |
| 50% | $61.38 | +$9.89 |
| 75% | $81.35 | +$29.86 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 38%. 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 | $132 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $101 | −$30.68 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $61.00 | −$71.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $61.00 | −$71.00 | 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 Jay Hilgenberg #59 — FAQ
Is Jay Hilgenberg #59 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Jay Hilgenberg #59 sells for $101 against $1.49 raw: a $99.83 spread, 68× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.45) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Jay Hilgenberg #59 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Jay Hilgenberg #59 (Football Cards 1989 Topps) sells for about $101 versus $1.49 for a raw near-mint copy — a 68× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Jay Hilgenberg #59?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $132, ahead of PSA 10 at $101. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Jay Hilgenberg #59 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 Jay Hilgenberg #59 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Jay Hilgenberg #59 breaks even when it gems about 38% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $21.45).
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