![Junior Gilliam [Gray Back] #35 (Baseball Cards 1954 Topps) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/6l8AAeSwENVqVnWp/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Junior Gilliam [Gray Back] #35 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1954 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Junior Gilliam [Gray Back] #35 sells for $1,335 against $5.75 raw: a $1,329 spread, 232× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($308) 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)
- $5.75
- PSA 10
- $1,335
- PSA 9
- $308
- Gem premium
- 232×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $1,335 | +$1,304 | +$1,279 | +$1,179 |
| PSA 9 | $308 | +$277 | +$252 | +$152 |
| PSA 8 | $280 | +$249 | +$224 | +$124 |
Net = sale price − $5.75 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% | $565 | +$509 |
| 50% | $821 | +$766 |
| 75% | $1,078 | +$1,022 |
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 | $1,735 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,335 | −$400 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $801 | −$934 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $801 | −$934 | 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 | $1,335 | $801 | $1,735 | $801 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $377 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $308 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $280 |
Run your own numbers
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 →
![Jackie Robinson [Gray Back] #10 1954 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/JDgAAeSwwvJqUXv4/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Junior Gilliam [Gray Back] #35 — FAQ
Is Junior Gilliam [Gray Back] #35 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Junior Gilliam [Gray Back] #35 sells for $1,335 against $5.75 raw: a $1,329 spread, 232× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($308) 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 Junior Gilliam [Gray Back] #35 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Junior Gilliam [Gray Back] #35 (Baseball Cards 1954 Topps) sells for about $1,335 versus $5.75 for a raw near-mint copy — a 232× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Junior Gilliam [Gray Back] #35?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,735, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,335. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Junior Gilliam [Gray Back] #35 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.
Check my card free