Is Bobby Shantz #261 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1956 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Bobby Shantz #261 sells for $1,315 against $6.00 raw: a $1,309 spread, 219× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($985) 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)
- $6.00
- PSA 10
- $1,315
- PSA 9
- $985
- Gem premium
- 219×
- As of
- Sep 2, 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 | $1,315 | +$1,284 | +$1,259 | +$1,159 |
| PSA 9 | $985 | +$954 | +$929 | +$829 |
| PSA 8 | $218 | +$187 | +$162 | +$61.95 |
Net = sale price − $6.00 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% | $1,067 | +$1,011 |
| 50% | $1,150 | +$1,094 |
| 75% | $1,232 | +$1,176 |
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 | $1,709 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,315 | −$394 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $789 | −$920 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $789 | −$920 | 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.
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Grading Bobby Shantz #261 — FAQ
Is Bobby Shantz #261 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Bobby Shantz #261 sells for $1,315 against $6.00 raw: a $1,309 spread, 219× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($985) 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 Bobby Shantz #261 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Bobby Shantz #261 (Baseball Cards 1956 Topps) sells for about $1,315 versus $6.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 219× premium as of Sep 2, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Bobby Shantz #261?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,709, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,315. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Bobby Shantz #261 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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