Is Jim Palmer #450 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1976 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Jim Palmer #450 sells for $1,614 against $2.99 raw: a $1,611 spread, 540× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($157) 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)
- $2.99
- PSA 10
- $1,614
- PSA 9
- $157
- Gem premium
- 540×
- As of
- Oct 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 | $1,614 | +$1,586 | +$1,561 | +$1,461 |
| PSA 9 | $157 | +$129 | +$104 | +$4.01 |
| PSA 8 | $49.00 | +$21.01 | −$3.99 | −$104 |
Net = sale price − $2.99 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% | $521 | +$468 |
| 50% | $885 | +$832 |
| 75% | $1,250 | +$1,197 |
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 | $2,098 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,614 | −$484 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $968 | −$1,130 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $968 | −$1,130 | 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 Jim Palmer #450 — FAQ
Is Jim Palmer #450 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Jim Palmer #450 sells for $1,614 against $2.99 raw: a $1,611 spread, 540× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($157) 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 Jim Palmer #450 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Jim Palmer #450 (Baseball Cards 1976 Topps) sells for about $1,614 versus $2.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 540× premium as of Oct 2, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Jim Palmer #450?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $2,098, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,614. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Jim Palmer #450 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.
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