Is Smoky Burgess #357 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1952 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Smoky Burgess #357 sells for $68,573 against $304 raw: a $68,269 spread, 225× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($10,259) 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)
- $304
- PSA 10
- $68,573
- PSA 9
- $10,259
- Gem premium
- 225×
- As of
- Nov 1, 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 | $68,573 | +$68,244 | +$68,219 | +$68,119 |
| PSA 9 | $10,259 | +$9,930 | +$9,905 | +$9,805 |
| PSA 8 | $1,967 | +$1,637 | +$1,612 | +$1,512 |
Net = sale price − $304 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% | $24,838 | +$24,484 |
| 50% | $39,416 | +$39,062 |
| 75% | $53,995 | +$53,640 |
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 | $89,145 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $68,573 | −$20,572 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $41,144 | −$48,001 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $27,429 | −$61,716 | 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 Smoky Burgess #357 — FAQ
Is Smoky Burgess #357 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Smoky Burgess #357 sells for $68,573 against $304 raw: a $68,269 spread, 225× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($10,259) 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 Smoky Burgess #357 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Smoky Burgess #357 (Baseball Cards 1952 Topps) sells for about $68,573 versus $304 for a raw near-mint copy — a 225× premium as of Nov 1, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Smoky Burgess #357?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $89,145, ahead of PSA 10 at $68,573. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Smoky Burgess #357 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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