Is Billy Smith #237 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1979 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Billy Smith #237 sells for $59.00 against $0.89 raw: a $58.11 spread, 66× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.52) 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)
- $0.89
- PSA 10
- $59.00
- PSA 9
- $29.52
- Gem premium
- 66×
- 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 | $59.00 | +$33.11 | +$8.11 | −$91.89 |
| PSA 9 | $29.52 | +$3.63 | −$21.37 | −$121 |
| PSA 8 | $12.50 | −$13.39 | −$38.39 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $0.89 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% | $36.89 | −$14.00 |
| 50% | $44.26 | −$6.63 |
| 75% | $51.63 | +$0.74 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 72%. 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 | $77.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $59.00 | −$18.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $35.00 | −$42.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $35.00 | −$42.00 | 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 Billy Smith #237 — FAQ
Is Billy Smith #237 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Billy Smith #237 sells for $59.00 against $0.89 raw: a $58.11 spread, 66× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.52) 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 Billy Smith #237 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Billy Smith #237 (Baseball Cards 1979 Topps) sells for about $59.00 versus $0.89 for a raw near-mint copy — a 66× premium as of Sep 2, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Billy Smith #237?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $77.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $59.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Billy Smith #237 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 Billy Smith #237 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Billy Smith #237 breaks even when it gems about 72% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $29.52).
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