Is Satchell Paige #220 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1953 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Satchell Paige #220 sells for $168,037 against $626 raw: a $167,411 spread, 269× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($25,148) 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)
- $626
- PSA 10
- $168,037
- PSA 9
- $25,148
- Gem premium
- 269×
- As of
- Aug 9, 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 | $168,037 | +$167,386 | +$167,361 | +$167,261 |
| PSA 9 | $25,148 | +$24,497 | +$24,472 | +$24,372 |
| PSA 8 | $15,906 | +$15,255 | +$15,230 | +$15,130 |
Net = sale price − $626 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% | $60,870 | +$60,195 |
| 50% | $96,592 | +$95,917 |
| 75% | $132,314 | +$131,639 |
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 | $218,448 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $168,037 | −$50,411 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $100,822 | −$117,626 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $100,822 | −$117,626 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $168,037 | $100,822 | $218,448 | $100,822 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $45,964 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $25,148 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $15,906 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $5,615 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Satchell Paige #220 — FAQ
Is Satchell Paige #220 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Satchell Paige #220 sells for $168,037 against $626 raw: a $167,411 spread, 269× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($25,148) 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 Satchell Paige #220 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Satchell Paige #220 (Baseball Cards 1953 Topps) sells for about $168,037 versus $626 for a raw near-mint copy — a 269× premium as of Aug 9, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Satchell Paige #220?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $218,448, ahead of PSA 10 at $168,037. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Satchell Paige #220 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.
Is your baseball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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