Is Billy Pierce worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1954 Red Heart · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Billy Pierce sells for $6,729 against $28.99 raw: a $6,700 spread, 232× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($441) 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)
- $28.99
- PSA 10
- $6,729
- PSA 9
- $441
- 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 | $6,729 | +$6,675 | +$6,650 | +$6,550 |
| PSA 9 | $441 | +$387 | +$362 | +$262 |
| PSA 8 | $229 | +$175 | +$150 | +$50.30 |
Net = sale price − $28.99 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% | $2,013 | +$1,934 |
| 50% | $3,585 | +$3,506 |
| 75% | $5,157 | +$5,078 |
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 | $8,748 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $6,729 | −$2,019 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $4,037 | −$4,711 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $4,037 | −$4,711 | 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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Other 1954 Red Heart cards worth checking
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Grading Billy Pierce — FAQ
Is Billy Pierce worth grading?
A PSA 10 Billy Pierce sells for $6,729 against $28.99 raw: a $6,700 spread, 232× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($441) 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 Billy Pierce worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Billy Pierce (Baseball Cards 1954 Red Heart) sells for about $6,729 versus $28.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 232× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Billy Pierce?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $8,748, ahead of PSA 10 at $6,729. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Billy Pierce 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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