Is Jim Busby #309 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1957 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Jim Busby #309 sells for $4,831 against $5.87 raw: a $4,825 spread, 823× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($4,026) 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)
- $5.87
- PSA 10
- $4,831
- PSA 9
- $4,026
- Gem premium
- 823×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $4,831 | +$4,800 | +$4,775 | +$4,675 |
| PSA 9 | $4,026 | +$3,995 | +$3,970 | +$3,870 |
| PSA 8 | $127 | +$96.13 | +$71.13 | −$28.87 |
Net = sale price − $5.87 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% | $4,227 | +$4,171 |
| 50% | $4,429 | +$4,373 |
| 75% | $4,630 | +$4,574 |
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 | $6,280 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $4,831 | −$1,449 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $2,899 | −$3,381 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $2,899 | −$3,381 | 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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Grading Jim Busby #309 — FAQ
Is Jim Busby #309 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Jim Busby #309 sells for $4,831 against $5.87 raw: a $4,825 spread, 823× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($4,026) 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 Jim Busby #309 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Jim Busby #309 (Baseball Cards 1957 Topps) sells for about $4,831 versus $5.87 for a raw near-mint copy — a 823× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Jim Busby #309?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $6,280, ahead of PSA 10 at $4,831. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Jim Busby #309 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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