Should you grade old sports cards?

Usually, only grade old sports cards if the graded value is likely to beat the raw value plus grading, shipping, and insurance costs. For many cards, grading won’t pay off.

Good candidates to grade:

• Pre-WWII star cards (roughly 1900–1938): Often worth grading, especially for big names like Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, or Lou Gehrig. These cards are heavily counterfeited, and even low-grade examples can still be valuable once authenticated.
• Mid-century Hall of Famers: Cards of stars from the 1940s–1970s can make sense to grade if the player is highly sought after and the card is in solid shape.
• Key rookie cards in excellent or near-mint condition: For later-era cards, grading tends to make the most sense when it’s a major superstar rookie and the card looks very sharp.

Usually not worth grading:

• Common cards from the late 1980s and 1990s: These were mass-produced, so most commons won’t gain enough value to cover grading costs.
• Non-star players: If the player isn’t especially collectible, grading usually won’t add much.
• Cards with obvious damage: Creases, heavy wear, rough corners, or bad centering usually lead to low grades that don’t justify the expense.

A good rule of thumb: grade cards that are scarce, highly collectible, or likely to benefit from authentication; skip cards that are plentiful or clearly low-condition. If you’re unsure, compare the card’s raw market value to the likely graded value and current submission costs on the grading company’s official pricing page, since fees and turnaround times can change.