![Ted Williams [White Back] #5 (Baseball Cards 1956 Topps) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Rw0AAeSwsApqS88t/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Ted Williams [White 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 [White Back] #5 sells for $40,593 against $182 raw: a $40,411 spread, 223× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35,750) 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)
- $182
- PSA 10
- $40,593
- PSA 9
- $35,750
- Gem premium
- 223×
- 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 | $40,593 | +$40,386 | +$40,361 | +$40,261 |
| PSA 9 | $35,750 | +$35,543 | +$35,518 | +$35,418 |
| PSA 8 | $4,423 | +$4,216 | +$4,191 | +$4,091 |
Net = sale price − $182 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% | $36,961 | +$36,728 |
| 50% | $38,172 | +$37,939 |
| 75% | $39,383 | +$39,150 |
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 | $52,771 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $40,593 | −$12,178 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $24,356 | −$28,415 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $24,356 | −$28,415 | 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 | $40,593 | $24,356 | $52,771 | $24,356 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $39,325 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $35,750 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $4,423 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $2,183 |
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
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![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 [White Back] #5 — FAQ
Is Ted Williams [White Back] #5 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ted Williams [White Back] #5 sells for $40,593 against $182 raw: a $40,411 spread, 223× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35,750) 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 [White Back] #5 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ted Williams [White Back] #5 (Baseball Cards 1956 Topps) sells for about $40,593 versus $182 for a raw near-mint copy — a 223× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ted Williams [White Back] #5?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $52,771, ahead of PSA 10 at $40,593. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ted Williams [White 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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