![Gale Sayers [Orange] #LC-3 (Football Cards 2004 Playoff Contenders Legendary) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/3zYAAeSw9mVqK~Qu/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Gale Sayers [Orange] #LC-3 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 2004 Playoff Contenders Legendary · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 27× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Gale Sayers [Orange] #LC-3 sells for $53.49 against $1.95 raw: a $51.54 spread, 27× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.89) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.95
- PSA 10
- $53.49
- PSA 9
- $14.89
- Gem premium
- 27×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $53.49 | +$26.54 | +$1.54 | −$98.46 |
| PSA 9 | $14.89 | −$12.06 | −$37.06 | −$137 |
| PSA 8 | $7.79 | −$19.16 | −$44.16 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $1.95 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% | $24.54 | −$27.41 |
| 50% | $34.19 | −$17.76 |
| 75% | $43.84 | −$8.11 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 96%. 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 | $70.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $53.49 | −$16.51 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $32.00 | −$38.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $32.00 | −$38.00 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $53.49 | $32.00 | $70.00 | $32.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $27.06 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $14.89 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $7.79 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2004 Playoff Contenders Legendary cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Roger Staubach [Orange] #LC-10 2004 Playoff Contenders Legendary card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/oVwAAeSwCm5pV~hu/s-l500.jpg)
![Barry Sanders [Orange] #LC-1 2004 Playoff Contenders Legendary card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/YNAAAOSwHShmBFMt/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Gale Sayers [Orange] #LC-3 — FAQ
Is Gale Sayers [Orange] #LC-3 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Gale Sayers [Orange] #LC-3 sells for $53.49 against $1.95 raw: a $51.54 spread, 27× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.89) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Gale Sayers [Orange] #LC-3 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Gale Sayers [Orange] #LC-3 (Football Cards 2004 Playoff Contenders Legendary) sells for about $53.49 versus $1.95 for a raw near-mint copy — a 27× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Gale Sayers [Orange] #LC-3?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $70.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $53.49. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Gale Sayers [Orange] #LC-3 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 Gale Sayers [Orange] #LC-3 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Gale Sayers [Orange] #LC-3 breaks even when it gems about 96% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $14.89).
Is your football card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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