![Sam Jethroe [Black Back] #27 (Baseball Cards 1952 Topps) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/eOMAAeSwLDFqbSnh/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Sam Jethroe [Black Back] #27 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1952 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Sam Jethroe [Black Back] #27 sells for $5,690 against $23.24 raw: a $5,667 spread, 245× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,456) 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)
- $23.24
- PSA 10
- $5,690
- PSA 9
- $1,456
- Gem premium
- 245×
- 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 | $5,690 | +$5,642 | +$5,617 | +$5,517 |
| PSA 9 | $1,456 | +$1,408 | +$1,383 | +$1,283 |
| PSA 8 | $1,323 | +$1,275 | +$1,250 | +$1,150 |
Net = sale price − $23.24 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% | $2,515 | +$2,441 |
| 50% | $3,573 | +$3,500 |
| 75% | $4,632 | +$4,559 |
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 | $7,398 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $5,690 | −$1,708 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $3,414 | −$3,984 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $3,414 | −$3,984 | 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 [Black Back] #27 — FAQ
Is Sam Jethroe [Black Back] #27 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Sam Jethroe [Black Back] #27 sells for $5,690 against $23.24 raw: a $5,667 spread, 245× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,456) 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 [Black Back] #27 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Sam Jethroe [Black Back] #27 (Baseball Cards 1952 Topps) sells for about $5,690 versus $23.24 for a raw near-mint copy — a 245× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Sam Jethroe [Black Back] #27?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $7,398, ahead of PSA 10 at $5,690. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Sam Jethroe [Black Back] #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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