The last thing I would do is buy graded big cards and then crack them out (especially since you said that the financial factor is a big consideration). If you prefer raw that much and want the conformity of everything in a binder, you're often better off paying up a little bit for raw from really established dealers (which is still naturally cheaper than slabs, especially PSA).
I've spent a lot of time here and there deciding how to best land the kind of '50s key cards that you need for a '56, and I've often ended up with graded for something around a 4 or 5, and raw for anything low grade.
You're right in the middle of that range for your main '56 cards. If I were in your spot, I'd lean toward graded. It's not that cumbersome to get out half a dozen top slabs to look at. It's how my sets have often unfolded
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