![Jacob Melton [1952 Variation] #148 (Baseball Cards 2026 Topps) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/IEgAAeSwOYZp1uHa/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Jacob Melton [1952 Variation] #148 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2026 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Jacob Melton [1952 Variation] #148 sells for $291 against $59.99 raw: a $231 spread, 4.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($103) 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)
- $59.99
- PSA 10
- $291
- PSA 9
- $103
- Gem premium
- 4.9×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $291 | +$206 | +$181 | +$81.11 |
| PSA 9 | $103 | +$17.56 | −$7.44 | −$107 |
| PSA 8 | $58.67 | −$26.32 | −$51.32 | −$151 |
Net = sale price − $59.99 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% | $150 | +$39.70 |
| 50% | $197 | +$86.84 |
| 75% | $244 | +$134 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 4%. 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 | $378 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $291 | −$86.90 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $175 | −$203 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $175 | −$203 | 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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Full set checklist →Grading Jacob Melton [1952 Variation] #148 — FAQ
Is Jacob Melton [1952 Variation] #148 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Jacob Melton [1952 Variation] #148 sells for $291 against $59.99 raw: a $231 spread, 4.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($103) 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 Jacob Melton [1952 Variation] #148 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Jacob Melton [1952 Variation] #148 (Baseball Cards 2026 Topps) sells for about $291 versus $59.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.9× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Jacob Melton [1952 Variation] #148?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $378, ahead of PSA 10 at $291. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Jacob Melton [1952 Variation] #148 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 Jacob Melton [1952 Variation] #148 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Jacob Melton [1952 Variation] #148 breaks even when it gems about 4% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $103).
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