Is 1953 Smash Return #49 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1959 Fleer Ted Williams · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 1953 Smash Return #49 sells for $1,234 against $7.53 raw: a $1,227 spread, 164× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($135) 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)
- $7.53
- PSA 10
- $1,234
- PSA 9
- $135
- Gem premium
- 164×
- 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 | $1,234 | +$1,202 | +$1,177 | +$1,077 |
| PSA 9 | $135 | +$102 | +$77.47 | −$22.53 |
| PSA 8 | $57.11 | +$24.58 | −$0.42 | −$100 |
Net = sale price − $7.53 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% | $410 | +$352 |
| 50% | $685 | +$627 |
| 75% | $959 | +$902 |
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 | $1,604 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,234 | −$370 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $740 | −$864 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $740 | −$864 | 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 | $1,234 | $740 | $1,604 | $740 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $367 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $135 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $57.11 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $31.97 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1959 Fleer Ted Williams cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Outstanding Rookie [Of 1939] #14 1959 Fleer Ted Williams card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/4BoAAeSwr3RqUGly/s-l500.jpg)
![1941 How Ted Hit [.400] #17 1959 Fleer Ted Williams card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/zrkAAeSwYi9p7-cP/s-l500.jpg)
![Ted's All Star [Record] #63 1959 Fleer Ted Williams card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/aEIAAeSwyqhpcxIQ/s-l500.jpg)
![Ted Turns [Professional] #6 1959 Fleer Ted Williams card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/XuYAAeSwKA1qTD2R/s-l500.jpg)
Grading 1953 Smash Return #49 — FAQ
Is 1953 Smash Return #49 worth grading?
A PSA 10 1953 Smash Return #49 sells for $1,234 against $7.53 raw: a $1,227 spread, 164× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($135) 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 1953 Smash Return #49 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 1953 Smash Return #49 (Baseball Cards 1959 Fleer Ted Williams) sells for about $1,234 versus $7.53 for a raw near-mint copy — a 164× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for 1953 Smash Return #49?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,604, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,234. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does 1953 Smash Return #49 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.
Check my card free