Is Dixie Howell #255 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1953 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dixie Howell #255 sells for $8,704 against $56.44 raw: a $8,647 spread, 154× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($3,469) 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)
- $56.44
- PSA 10
- $8,704
- PSA 9
- $3,469
- Gem premium
- 154×
- 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 | $8,704 | +$8,622 | +$8,597 | +$8,497 |
| PSA 9 | $3,469 | +$3,388 | +$3,363 | +$3,263 |
| PSA 8 | $3,154 | +$3,073 | +$3,048 | +$2,948 |
Net = sale price − $56.44 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% | $4,778 | +$4,671 |
| 50% | $6,086 | +$5,980 |
| 75% | $7,395 | +$7,288 |
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 | $11,315 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $8,704 | −$2,611 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $5,222 | −$6,093 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $5,222 | −$6,093 | 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 Dixie Howell #255 — FAQ
Is Dixie Howell #255 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dixie Howell #255 sells for $8,704 against $56.44 raw: a $8,647 spread, 154× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($3,469) 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 Dixie Howell #255 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dixie Howell #255 (Baseball Cards 1953 Topps) sells for about $8,704 versus $56.44 for a raw near-mint copy — a 154× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dixie Howell #255?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $11,315, ahead of PSA 10 at $8,704. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dixie Howell #255 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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