Is James E. Runnels #2 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1952 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 James E. Runnels #2 sells for $21,584 against $18.75 raw: a $21,565 spread, 1151× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($19,622) 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)
- $18.75
- Grade 9.5
- $21,584
- PSA 9
- $19,622
- Gem premium
- 1151×
- 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 | $21,584 | +$21,540 | +$21,515 | +$21,415 |
| PSA 9 | $19,622 | +$19,578 | +$19,553 | +$19,453 |
Net = sale price − $18.75 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% | $20,112 | +$20,043 |
| 50% | $20,603 | +$20,534 |
| 75% | $21,093 | +$21,025 |
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 James E. Runnels #2 — FAQ
Is James E. Runnels #2 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 James E. Runnels #2 sells for $21,584 against $18.75 raw: a $21,565 spread, 1151× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($19,622) 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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