Is Sam Jethroe #27 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1952 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Sam Jethroe #27 sells for $4,204 against $15.03 raw: a $4,189 spread, 280× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($966) 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)
- $15.03
- PSA 10
- $4,204
- PSA 9
- $966
- Gem premium
- 280×
- 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 | $4,204 | +$4,164 | +$4,139 | +$4,039 |
| PSA 9 | $966 | +$926 | +$901 | +$801 |
| PSA 8 | $879 | +$838 | +$813 | +$713 |
Net = sale price − $15.03 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% | $1,776 | +$1,711 |
| 50% | $2,585 | +$2,520 |
| 75% | $3,395 | +$3,330 |
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 | $5,466 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $4,204 | −$1,262 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $2,523 | −$2,943 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $2,523 | −$2,943 | 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 Sam Jethroe #27 — FAQ
Is Sam Jethroe #27 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Sam Jethroe #27 sells for $4,204 against $15.03 raw: a $4,189 spread, 280× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($966) 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 Sam Jethroe #27 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Sam Jethroe #27 (Baseball Cards 1952 Topps) sells for about $4,204 versus $15.03 for a raw near-mint copy — a 280× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Sam Jethroe #27?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $5,466, ahead of PSA 10 at $4,204. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Sam Jethroe #27 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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