![Gus Zernial [Chicago in Bio] #36 (Baseball Cards 1951 Topps Red Back) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/b7QAAeSwoo1pM28T/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Gus Zernial [Chicago in Bio] #36 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1951 Topps Red Back · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Gus Zernial [Chicago in Bio] #36 sells for $514 against $16.25 raw: a $498 spread, 32× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($468) 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)
- $16.25
- Grade 9.5
- $514
- PSA 9
- $468
- Gem premium
- 32×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $514 | +$473 | +$448 | +$348 |
| PSA 9 | $468 | +$426 | +$401 | +$301 |
| PSA 8 | $186 | +$144 | +$119 | +$19.44 |
Net = sale price − $16.25 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% | $479 | +$413 |
| 50% | $491 | +$425 |
| 75% | $502 | +$436 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading Gus Zernial [Chicago in Bio] #36 — FAQ
Is Gus Zernial [Chicago in Bio] #36 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Gus Zernial [Chicago in Bio] #36 sells for $514 against $16.25 raw: a $498 spread, 32× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($468) 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.
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