Is Billy Johnson #21 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1951 Topps Blue Back · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Billy Johnson #21 sells for $13,676 against $48.07 raw: a $13,628 spread, 285× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($272) 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)
- $48.07
- PSA 10
- $13,676
- PSA 9
- $272
- Gem premium
- 285×
- 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 | $13,676 | +$13,603 | +$13,578 | +$13,478 |
| PSA 9 | $272 | +$199 | +$174 | +$73.88 |
| PSA 8 | $177 | +$104 | +$79.18 | −$20.82 |
Net = sale price − $48.07 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% | $3,623 | +$3,525 |
| 50% | $6,974 | +$6,876 |
| 75% | $10,325 | +$10,227 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $17,779 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $13,676 | −$4,103 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $8,206 | −$9,573 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $8,206 | −$9,573 | 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 Billy Johnson #21 — FAQ
Is Billy Johnson #21 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Billy Johnson #21 sells for $13,676 against $48.07 raw: a $13,628 spread, 285× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($272) 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 Billy Johnson #21 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Billy Johnson #21 (Baseball Cards 1951 Topps Blue Back) sells for about $13,676 versus $48.07 for a raw near-mint copy — a 285× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Billy Johnson #21?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $17,779, ahead of PSA 10 at $13,676. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Billy Johnson #21 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.
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