Is John Williams #87 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1953 Bowman · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 John Williams #87 sells for $2,850 against $11.99 raw: a $2,838 spread, 238× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($432) 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)
- $11.99
- PSA 10
- $2,850
- PSA 9
- $432
- Gem premium
- 238×
- 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 | $2,850 | +$2,813 | +$2,788 | +$2,688 |
| PSA 9 | $432 | +$395 | +$370 | +$270 |
| PSA 8 | $168 | +$131 | +$106 | +$5.51 |
Net = sale price − $11.99 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% | $1,036 | +$974 |
| 50% | $1,641 | +$1,579 |
| 75% | $2,245 | +$2,183 |
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 | $3,705 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $2,850 | −$855 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,710 | −$1,995 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,710 | −$1,995 | 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 John Williams #87 — FAQ
Is John Williams #87 worth grading?
A PSA 10 John Williams #87 sells for $2,850 against $11.99 raw: a $2,838 spread, 238× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($432) 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 John Williams #87 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 John Williams #87 (Football Cards 1953 Bowman) sells for about $2,850 versus $11.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 238× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for John Williams #87?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $3,705, ahead of PSA 10 at $2,850. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does John Williams #87 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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