Is Ted Williams #1 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1954 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ted Williams #1 sells for $36,740 against $161 raw: a $36,579 spread, 229× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($8,049) 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)
- $161
- PSA 10
- $36,740
- PSA 9
- $8,049
- Gem premium
- 229×
- As of
- Oct 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 | $36,740 | +$36,554 | +$36,529 | +$36,429 |
| PSA 9 | $8,049 | +$7,864 | +$7,839 | +$7,739 |
| PSA 8 | $7,317 | +$7,132 | +$7,107 | +$7,007 |
Net = sale price − $161 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% | $15,222 | +$15,011 |
| 50% | $22,394 | +$22,184 |
| 75% | $29,567 | +$29,357 |
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 | $47,762 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $36,740 | −$11,022 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $22,044 | −$25,718 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $138 | −$47,624 | 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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Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1954 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
![Ted Williams [Gray Back] #1 1954 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Zw8AAeSwgvRqgaiT/s-l500.jpg)
![Jackie Robinson [Gray Back] #10 1954 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/JDgAAeSwwvJqUXv4/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Ted Williams #1 — FAQ
Is Ted Williams #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ted Williams #1 sells for $36,740 against $161 raw: a $36,579 spread, 229× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($8,049) 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 Ted Williams #1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ted Williams #1 (Baseball Cards 1954 Topps) sells for about $36,740 versus $161 for a raw near-mint copy — a 229× premium as of Oct 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ted Williams #1?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $47,762, ahead of PSA 10 at $36,740. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ted Williams #1 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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