Is Billy Cox #48 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1951 Topps Blue Back · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Billy Cox #48 sells for $8,010 against $31.96 raw: a $7,978 spread, 251× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($249) 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)
- $31.96
- PSA 10
- $8,010
- PSA 9
- $249
- Gem premium
- 251×
- 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 | $8,010 | +$7,953 | +$7,928 | +$7,828 |
| PSA 9 | $249 | +$192 | +$167 | +$66.87 |
| PSA 8 | $84.78 | +$27.82 | +$2.82 | −$97.18 |
Net = sale price − $31.96 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% | $2,189 | +$2,107 |
| 50% | $4,129 | +$4,047 |
| 75% | $6,070 | +$5,988 |
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 | $10,413 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $8,010 | −$2,403 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $4,806 | −$5,607 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $4,806 | −$5,607 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1951 Topps Blue Back cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Billy Cox #48 — FAQ
Is Billy Cox #48 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Billy Cox #48 sells for $8,010 against $31.96 raw: a $7,978 spread, 251× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($249) 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 Cox #48 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Billy Cox #48 (Baseball Cards 1951 Topps Blue Back) sells for about $8,010 versus $31.96 for a raw near-mint copy — a 251× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Billy Cox #48?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $10,413, ahead of PSA 10 at $8,010. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Billy Cox #48 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.
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your baseball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
