Is Bill Bruton #251 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1961 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Bill Bruton #251 sells for $273 against $1.44 raw: a $271 spread, 189× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($46.51) 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)
- $1.44
- PSA 10
- $273
- PSA 9
- $46.51
- Gem premium
- 189×
- 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 | $273 | +$246 | +$221 | +$121 |
| PSA 9 | $46.51 | +$20.07 | −$4.93 | −$105 |
| PSA 8 | $42.03 | +$15.59 | −$9.41 | −$109 |
Net = sale price − $1.44 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% | $103 | +$51.66 |
| 50% | $160 | +$108 |
| 75% | $216 | +$165 |
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 | $355 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $273 | −$82.13 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $164 | −$191 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $164 | −$191 | 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 Bill Bruton #251 — FAQ
Is Bill Bruton #251 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Bill Bruton #251 sells for $273 against $1.44 raw: a $271 spread, 189× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($46.51) 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 Bill Bruton #251 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Bill Bruton #251 (Baseball Cards 1961 Topps) sells for about $273 versus $1.44 for a raw near-mint copy — a 189× premium as of Sep 2, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Bill Bruton #251?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $355, ahead of PSA 10 at $273. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Bill Bruton #251 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 Bill Bruton #251 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Bill Bruton #251 breaks even when it gems about 2% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $46.51).
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