Is Smoky Burgess #31 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1954 Bowman · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Smoky Burgess #31 sells for $1,186 against $5.26 raw: a $1,181 spread, 226× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($301) 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)
- $5.26
- PSA 10
- $1,186
- PSA 9
- $301
- Gem premium
- 226×
- 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 | $1,186 | +$1,156 | +$1,131 | +$1,031 |
| PSA 9 | $301 | +$270 | +$245 | +$145 |
| PSA 8 | $108 | +$77.74 | +$52.74 | −$47.26 |
Net = sale price − $5.26 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% | $522 | +$467 |
| 50% | $743 | +$688 |
| 75% | $965 | +$910 |
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 | $1,542 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,186 | −$356 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $712 | −$830 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $712 | −$830 | 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 #31 — FAQ
Is Smoky Burgess #31 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Smoky Burgess #31 sells for $1,186 against $5.26 raw: a $1,181 spread, 226× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($301) 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 #31 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Smoky Burgess #31 (Baseball Cards 1954 Bowman) sells for about $1,186 versus $5.26 for a raw near-mint copy — a 226× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Smoky Burgess #31?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,542, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,186. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Smoky Burgess #31 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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