![Ted Williams [Gray Back] #5 (Baseball Cards 1956 Topps) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/z2YAAeSwGs1qcqKP/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Ted Williams [Gray Back] #5 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1956 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ted Williams [Gray Back] #5 sells for $33,156 against $168 raw: a $32,987 spread, 197× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($22,200) 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)
- $168
- PSA 10
- $33,156
- PSA 9
- $22,200
- Gem premium
- 197×
- As of
- Aug 9, 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 | $33,156 | +$32,962 | +$32,937 | +$32,837 |
| PSA 9 | $22,200 | +$22,007 | +$21,982 | +$21,882 |
| PSA 8 | $5,185 | +$4,992 | +$4,967 | +$4,867 |
Net = sale price − $168 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% | $24,939 | +$24,720 |
| 50% | $27,678 | +$27,459 |
| 75% | $30,417 | +$30,198 |
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 | $43,103 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $33,156 | −$9,947 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $19,893 | −$23,210 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $19,893 | −$23,210 | 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 | $33,156 | $19,893 | $43,103 | $19,893 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $24,420 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $22,200 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $5,185 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $2,393 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1956 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
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![Frank Thomas [White Back] #153 1956 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/D4oAAeSw5epqRXcA/s-l500.jpg)
![Jackie Robinson [Gray Back] #30 1956 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Z-IAAeSwfE5qUU7y/s-l500.jpg)
![Roberto Clemente [Gray Back] #33 1956 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/W3gAAeSwznxqQtVO/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Ted Williams [Gray Back] #5 — FAQ
Is Ted Williams [Gray Back] #5 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ted Williams [Gray Back] #5 sells for $33,156 against $168 raw: a $32,987 spread, 197× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($22,200) 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 [Gray Back] #5 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ted Williams [Gray Back] #5 (Baseball Cards 1956 Topps) sells for about $33,156 versus $168 for a raw near-mint copy — a 197× premium as of Aug 9, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ted Williams [Gray Back] #5?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $43,103, ahead of PSA 10 at $33,156. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ted Williams [Gray Back] #5 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.
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