Is Tom Fears #43 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1955 Bowman · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Tom Fears #43 sells for $969 against $4.40 raw: a $965 spread, 220× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($664) 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)
- $4.40
- PSA 10
- $969
- PSA 9
- $664
- Gem premium
- 220×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $969 | +$940 | +$915 | +$815 |
| PSA 9 | $664 | +$634 | +$609 | +$509 |
| PSA 8 | $62.44 | +$33.04 | +$8.04 | −$91.96 |
Net = sale price − $4.40 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% | $740 | +$686 |
| 50% | $816 | +$762 |
| 75% | $893 | +$838 |
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 | $1,260 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $969 | −$291 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $582 | −$678 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $582 | −$678 | 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 Tom Fears #43 — FAQ
Is Tom Fears #43 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tom Fears #43 sells for $969 against $4.40 raw: a $965 spread, 220× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($664) 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 Tom Fears #43 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tom Fears #43 (Football Cards 1955 Bowman) sells for about $969 versus $4.40 for a raw near-mint copy — a 220× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tom Fears #43?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,260, ahead of PSA 10 at $969. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tom Fears #43 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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