Is Emerson Hancock #52 worth grading?
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Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Emerson Hancock #52 sell for $12.69, only $10.85 above the $1.84 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($12.44) 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)
- $1.84
- PSA 10
- $12.69
- PSA 9
- $12.44
- Gem premium
- 6.9×
- 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 | $12.69 | −$14.15 | −$39.15 | −$139 |
| PSA 9 | $12.44 | −$14.40 | −$39.40 | −$139 |
| PSA 8 | $6.53 | −$20.31 | −$45.31 | −$145 |
Net = sale price − $1.84 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% | $12.50 | −$39.34 |
| 50% | $12.56 | −$39.27 |
| 75% | $12.63 | −$39.21 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SGC 10 | $23.00 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| BGS 10 | $17.00 | −$6.00 | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $12.69 | −$10.31 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $8.00 | −$15.00 | 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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Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Emerson Hancock #52 — FAQ
Is Emerson Hancock #52 worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Emerson Hancock #52 sell for $12.69, only $10.85 above the $1.84 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($12.44) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Emerson Hancock #52 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Emerson Hancock #52 (Baseball Cards 2024 Topps Chrome Black) sells for about $12.69 versus $1.84 for a raw near-mint copy — a 6.9× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Emerson Hancock #52?
By resale value, SGC 10 leads at $23.00, ahead of BGS 10 at $17.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Emerson Hancock #52 need for a SGC 10?
SGC publishes 55/45 front and 75/25 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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