Is Bob Bailey #505 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1973 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Bob Bailey #505 sells for $138 against $1.46 raw: a $136 spread, 94× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.58) 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)
- $1.46
- PSA 10
- $138
- PSA 9
- $29.58
- Gem premium
- 94×
- 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 | $138 | +$111 | +$86.13 | −$13.87 |
| PSA 9 | $29.58 | +$3.12 | −$21.88 | −$122 |
| PSA 8 | $12.48 | −$13.98 | −$38.98 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $1.46 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% | $56.58 | +$5.12 |
| 50% | $83.59 | +$32.13 |
| 75% | $111 | +$59.13 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 20%. 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 | $179 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $138 | −$41.41 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $83.00 | −$96.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $83.00 | −$96.00 | 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 Bob Bailey #505 — FAQ
Is Bob Bailey #505 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Bob Bailey #505 sells for $138 against $1.46 raw: a $136 spread, 94× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.58) 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 Bob Bailey #505 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Bob Bailey #505 (Baseball Cards 1973 Topps) sells for about $138 versus $1.46 for a raw near-mint copy — a 94× premium as of Sep 2, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Bob Bailey #505?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $179, ahead of PSA 10 at $138. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Bob Bailey #505 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 Bob Bailey #505 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Bob Bailey #505 breaks even when it gems about 20% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $29.58).
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