Is Jackie Robinson #1 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1953 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Jackie Robinson #1 sells for $205,120 against $885 raw: a $204,235 spread, 232× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39,416) 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)
- $885
- PSA 10
- $205,120
- PSA 9
- $39,416
- Gem premium
- 232×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $205,120 | +$204,210 | +$204,185 | +$204,085 |
| PSA 9 | $39,416 | +$38,506 | +$38,481 | +$38,381 |
| PSA 8 | $35,833 | +$34,923 | +$34,898 | +$34,798 |
Net = sale price − $885 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% | $80,842 | +$79,907 |
| 50% | $122,268 | +$121,333 |
| 75% | $163,694 | +$162,759 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SGC 10 | $268,400 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| BGS 10 | $266,656 | −$1,744 | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $205,120 | −$63,280 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $123,072 | −$145,328 | 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 Jackie Robinson #1 — FAQ
Is Jackie Robinson #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Jackie Robinson #1 sells for $205,120 against $885 raw: a $204,235 spread, 232× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39,416) 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 Jackie Robinson #1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Jackie Robinson #1 (Baseball Cards 1953 Topps) sells for about $205,120 versus $885 for a raw near-mint copy — a 232× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Jackie Robinson #1?
By resale value, SGC 10 leads at $268,400, ahead of BGS 10 at $266,656. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Jackie Robinson #1 need for a SGC 10?
SGC publishes 55/45 front and 75/25 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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