Is Russ Nixon #53 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1961 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Russ Nixon #53 sells for $302 against $1.50 raw: a $300 spread, 201× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($45.30) 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)
- $1.50
- PSA 10
- $302
- PSA 9
- $45.30
- Gem premium
- 201×
- 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 | $302 | +$275 | +$250 | +$150 |
| PSA 9 | $45.30 | +$18.80 | −$6.20 | −$106 |
| PSA 8 | $24.37 | −$2.13 | −$27.13 | −$127 |
Net = sale price − $1.50 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% | $109 | +$57.95 |
| 50% | $174 | +$122 |
| 75% | $238 | +$186 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 2%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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 | $392 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $302 | −$90.10 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $181 | −$211 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $181 | −$211 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1961 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
![Hank Aaron [MVP] #484 1961 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/P-8AAeSwG-xprnjH/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Russ Nixon #53 — FAQ
Is Russ Nixon #53 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Russ Nixon #53 sells for $302 against $1.50 raw: a $300 spread, 201× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($45.30) 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 Russ Nixon #53 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Russ Nixon #53 (Baseball Cards 1961 Topps) sells for about $302 versus $1.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 201× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Russ Nixon #53?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $392, ahead of PSA 10 at $302. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Russ Nixon #53 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.
What gem rate makes grading Russ Nixon #53 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Russ Nixon #53 breaks even when it gems about 2% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $45.30).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your baseball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
