Is Jim Barr #609 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1977 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Jim Barr #609 sells for $191 against $1.12 raw: a $190 spread, 171× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($73.33) 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)
- $1.12
- PSA 10
- $191
- PSA 9
- $73.33
- Gem premium
- 171×
- 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 | $191 | +$165 | +$140 | +$40.04 |
| PSA 9 | $73.33 | +$47.21 | +$22.21 | −$77.79 |
| PSA 8 | $14.99 | −$11.13 | −$36.13 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $1.12 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 | +$51.67 |
| 50% | $132 | +$81.13 |
| 75% | $162 | +$111 |
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 | $249 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $191 | −$57.84 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $115 | −$134 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $115 | −$134 | 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 Barr #609 — FAQ
Is Jim Barr #609 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Jim Barr #609 sells for $191 against $1.12 raw: a $190 spread, 171× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($73.33) 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 Barr #609 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Jim Barr #609 (Baseball Cards 1977 Topps) sells for about $191 versus $1.12 for a raw near-mint copy — a 171× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Jim Barr #609?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $249, ahead of PSA 10 at $191. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Jim Barr #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.
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