Is Satchel Paige #31 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1982 TCMA Greatest Pitchers · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Satchel Paige #31 sells for $174 against $1.99 raw: a $172 spread, 88× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.43) 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)
- $1.99
- PSA 10
- $174
- PSA 9
- $32.43
- Gem premium
- 88×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $174 | +$147 | +$122 | +$22.14 |
| PSA 9 | $32.43 | +$5.44 | −$19.56 | −$120 |
| PSA 8 | $14.38 | −$12.61 | −$37.61 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $1.99 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% | $67.85 | +$15.86 |
| 50% | $103 | +$51.29 |
| 75% | $139 | +$86.71 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 14%. 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 | $226 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $174 | −$51.87 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $104 | −$122 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $104 | −$122 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $174 | $104 | $226 | $104 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $58.75 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $32.43 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $14.38 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Grading Satchel Paige #31 — FAQ
Is Satchel Paige #31 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Satchel Paige #31 sells for $174 against $1.99 raw: a $172 spread, 88× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.43) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Satchel Paige #31 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Satchel Paige #31 (Baseball Cards 1982 TCMA Greatest Pitchers) sells for about $174 versus $1.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 88× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Satchel Paige #31?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $226, ahead of PSA 10 at $174. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Satchel Paige #31 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 Satchel Paige #31 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Satchel Paige #31 breaks even when it gems about 14% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $32.43).
Is your baseball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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