Is Bailey Howell #55 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1961 Fleer · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Bailey Howell #55 sells for $4,936 against $27.43 raw: a $4,908 spread, 180× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,516) 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)
- $27.43
- PSA 10
- $4,936
- PSA 9
- $1,516
- Gem premium
- 180×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $4,936 | +$4,883 | +$4,858 | +$4,758 |
| PSA 9 | $1,516 | +$1,464 | +$1,439 | +$1,339 |
| PSA 8 | $211 | +$159 | +$134 | +$33.92 |
Net = sale price − $27.43 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% | $2,371 | +$2,293 |
| 50% | $3,226 | +$3,148 |
| 75% | $4,081 | +$4,003 |
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 | $6,416 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $4,936 | −$1,480 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $2,961 | −$3,455 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $2,961 | −$3,455 | 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 Bailey Howell #55 — FAQ
Is Bailey Howell #55 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Bailey Howell #55 sells for $4,936 against $27.43 raw: a $4,908 spread, 180× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,516) 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 Bailey Howell #55 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Bailey Howell #55 (Basketball Cards 1961 Fleer) sells for about $4,936 versus $27.43 for a raw near-mint copy — a 180× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Bailey Howell #55?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $6,416, ahead of PSA 10 at $4,936. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Bailey Howell #55 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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