![Billy Loes [Black Back] #20 (Baseball Cards 1952 Topps) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/NoAAAeSw7-lqfNrR/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Billy Loes [Black Back] #20 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1952 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Billy Loes [Black Back] #20 sells for $10,692 against $21.61 raw: a $10,670 spread, 495× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($8,910) 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)
- $21.61
- PSA 10
- $10,692
- PSA 9
- $8,910
- Gem premium
- 495×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $10,692 | +$10,645 | +$10,620 | +$10,520 |
| PSA 9 | $8,910 | +$8,863 | +$8,838 | +$8,738 |
| PSA 8 | $8,100 | +$8,053 | +$8,028 | +$7,928 |
Net = sale price − $21.61 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% | $9,356 | +$9,284 |
| 50% | $9,801 | +$9,729 |
| 75% | $10,247 | +$10,175 |
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 | $13,900 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $10,692 | −$3,208 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $6,415 | −$7,485 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $6,415 | −$7,485 | 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 Loes [Black Back] #20 — FAQ
Is Billy Loes [Black Back] #20 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Billy Loes [Black Back] #20 sells for $10,692 against $21.61 raw: a $10,670 spread, 495× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($8,910) 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 Loes [Black Back] #20 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Billy Loes [Black Back] #20 (Baseball Cards 1952 Topps) sells for about $10,692 versus $21.61 for a raw near-mint copy — a 495× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Billy Loes [Black Back] #20?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $13,900, ahead of PSA 10 at $10,692. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Billy Loes [Black Back] #20 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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