![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 $3,371 against $15.00 raw: a $3,356 spread, 225× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($510) 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)
- $15.00
- PSA 10
- $3,371
- PSA 9
- $510
- Gem premium
- 225×
- 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 | $3,371 | +$3,331 | +$3,306 | +$3,206 |
| PSA 9 | $510 | +$470 | +$445 | +$345 |
| PSA 8 | $280 | +$240 | +$215 | +$115 |
Net = sale price − $15.00 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% | $1,225 | +$1,160 |
| 50% | $1,941 | +$1,876 |
| 75% | $2,656 | +$2,591 |
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 | $4,382 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $3,371 | −$1,011 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $2,023 | −$2,359 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $2,023 | −$2,359 | 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 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
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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 $3,371 against $15.00 raw: a $3,356 spread, 225× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($510) 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 $3,371 versus $15.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 225× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Junior Gilliam [Gray Back] #35?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $4,382, ahead of PSA 10 at $3,371. 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.
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