![Tommy Holmes [Boston in Bio] #52 (Baseball Cards 1951 Topps Red Back) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/9MgAAeSwHzlqnaV7/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Tommy Holmes [Boston in Bio] #52 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1951 Topps Red Back · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Tommy Holmes [Boston in Bio] #52 sells for $1,823 against $19.66 raw: a $1,803 spread, 93× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,657) 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)
- $19.66
- Grade 9.5
- $1,823
- PSA 9
- $1,657
- Gem premium
- 93×
- 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 | $1,823 | +$1,778 | +$1,753 | +$1,653 |
| PSA 9 | $1,657 | +$1,613 | +$1,588 | +$1,488 |
| PSA 8 | $390 | +$345 | +$320 | +$220 |
Net = sale price − $19.66 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% | $1,699 | +$1,629 |
| 50% | $1,740 | +$1,670 |
| 75% | $1,782 | +$1,712 |
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 Tommy Holmes [Boston in Bio] #52 — FAQ
Is Tommy Holmes [Boston in Bio] #52 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Tommy Holmes [Boston in Bio] #52 sells for $1,823 against $19.66 raw: a $1,803 spread, 93× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,657) 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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