Is 1973 Rookie Second Basemen #609 worth grading?
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Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 1973 Rookie Second Basemen #609 sells for $932 against $8.00 raw: a $924 spread, 117× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($169) 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)
- $8.00
- PSA 10
- $932
- PSA 9
- $169
- Gem premium
- 117×
- 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 | $932 | +$899 | +$874 | +$774 |
| PSA 9 | $169 | +$136 | +$111 | +$11.27 |
| PSA 8 | $45.00 | +$12.00 | −$13.00 | −$113 |
Net = sale price − $8.00 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% | $360 | +$302 |
| 50% | $551 | +$493 |
| 75% | $741 | +$683 |
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 | $1,212 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $932 | −$280 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $559 | −$653 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $559 | −$653 | 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 | $932 | $559 | $1,212 | $559 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $264 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $169 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $45.00 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $30.78 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading 1973 Rookie Second Basemen #609 — FAQ
Is 1973 Rookie Second Basemen #609 worth grading?
A PSA 10 1973 Rookie Second Basemen #609 sells for $932 against $8.00 raw: a $924 spread, 117× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($169) 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 1973 Rookie Second Basemen #609 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 1973 Rookie Second Basemen #609 (Baseball Cards 1973 Topps) sells for about $932 versus $8.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 117× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for 1973 Rookie Second Basemen #609?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,212, ahead of PSA 10 at $932. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does 1973 Rookie Second Basemen #609 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.
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