Is Ted Williams #HL-27 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2026 Topps Series 2 Heavy Lumber · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ted Williams #HL-27 sells for $159 against $28.75 raw: a $130 spread, 5.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($54.23) 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)
- $28.75
- PSA 10
- $159
- PSA 9
- $54.23
- Gem premium
- 5.5×
- 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 | $159 | +$105 | +$80.47 | −$19.53 |
| PSA 9 | $54.23 | +$0.48 | −$24.52 | −$125 |
| PSA 8 | $30.28 | −$23.47 | −$48.47 | −$148 |
Net = sale price − $28.75 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% | $80.48 | +$1.73 |
| 50% | $107 | +$27.97 |
| 75% | $133 | +$54.22 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 23%. 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 | $207 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $159 | −$47.78 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $96.00 | −$111 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $96.00 | −$111 | 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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Grading Ted Williams #HL-27 — FAQ
Is Ted Williams #HL-27 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ted Williams #HL-27 sells for $159 against $28.75 raw: a $130 spread, 5.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($54.23) 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 Ted Williams #HL-27 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ted Williams #HL-27 (Baseball Cards 2026 Topps Series 2 Heavy Lumber) sells for about $159 versus $28.75 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.5× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ted Williams #HL-27?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $207, ahead of PSA 10 at $159. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ted Williams #HL-27 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 Ted Williams #HL-27 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ted Williams #HL-27 breaks even when it gems about 23% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $54.23).
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