Is Al Bumbry #517 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1979 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Al Bumbry #517 sells for $128 against $1.14 raw: a $126 spread, 112× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($110) 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)
- $1.14
- PSA 10
- $128
- PSA 9
- $110
- Gem premium
- 112×
- As of
- Sep 7, 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 | $128 | +$101 | +$76.47 | −$23.53 |
| PSA 9 | $110 | +$83.86 | +$58.86 | −$41.14 |
| PSA 8 | $7.29 | −$18.85 | −$43.85 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $1.14 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% | $114 | +$63.26 |
| 50% | $119 | +$67.67 |
| 75% | $123 | +$72.07 |
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 | $166 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $128 | −$38.39 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $77.00 | −$89.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $77.00 | −$89.00 | 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 Al Bumbry #517 — FAQ
Is Al Bumbry #517 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Al Bumbry #517 sells for $128 against $1.14 raw: a $126 spread, 112× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($110) 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 Al Bumbry #517 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Al Bumbry #517 (Baseball Cards 1979 Topps) sells for about $128 versus $1.14 for a raw near-mint copy — a 112× premium as of Sep 7, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Al Bumbry #517?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $166, ahead of PSA 10 at $128. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Al Bumbry #517 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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