Is LaMarr Hoyt #520 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1985 Topps Mini · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 LaMarr Hoyt #520 sells for $291 against $169 raw: a $122 spread, 1.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($264) 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)
- $169
- Grade 9.5
- $291
- PSA 9
- $264
- Gem premium
- 1.7×
- As of
- Sep 4, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — Grade 9.5 | $291 | +$97.00 | +$72.00 | −$28.00 |
| PSA 9 | $264 | +$70.42 | +$45.42 | −$54.58 |
| PSA 8 | $44.51 | −$149 | −$174 | −$274 |
Net = sale price − $169 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% | $271 | +$52.06 |
| 50% | $278 | +$58.71 |
| 75% | $284 | +$65.36 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading LaMarr Hoyt #520 — FAQ
Is LaMarr Hoyt #520 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 LaMarr Hoyt #520 sells for $291 against $169 raw: a $122 spread, 1.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($264) 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.
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