Is Aaron Judge #HLA-AJ worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2024 Topps Heavy Lumber Autograph Relic · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Aaron Judge #HLA-AJ sells for $935 against $436 raw: a $499 spread, 2.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($850) 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)
- $436
- Grade 9.5
- $935
- PSA 9
- $850
- Gem premium
- 2.1×
- 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 | $935 | +$474 | +$449 | +$349 |
| PSA 9 | $850 | +$389 | +$364 | +$264 |
Net = sale price − $436 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% | $871 | +$385 |
| 50% | $893 | +$407 |
| 75% | $914 | +$428 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Full set checklist →Grading Aaron Judge #HLA-AJ — FAQ
Is Aaron Judge #HLA-AJ worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Aaron Judge #HLA-AJ sells for $935 against $436 raw: a $499 spread, 2.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($850) 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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