Is Walt Michaels #146 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1955 Bowman · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Walt Michaels #146 sells for $1,157 against $5.62 raw: a $1,152 spread, 206× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($179) 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)
- $5.62
- PSA 10
- $1,157
- PSA 9
- $179
- Gem premium
- 206×
- 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 | $1,157 | +$1,127 | +$1,102 | +$1,002 |
| PSA 9 | $179 | +$148 | +$123 | +$23.21 |
| PSA 8 | $96.78 | +$66.16 | +$41.16 | −$58.84 |
Net = sale price − $5.62 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% | $423 | +$368 |
| 50% | $668 | +$612 |
| 75% | $913 | +$857 |
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 | $1,504 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,157 | −$347 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $694 | −$810 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $694 | −$810 | 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 Walt Michaels #146 — FAQ
Is Walt Michaels #146 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Walt Michaels #146 sells for $1,157 against $5.62 raw: a $1,152 spread, 206× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($179) 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 Walt Michaels #146 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Walt Michaels #146 (Football Cards 1955 Bowman) sells for about $1,157 versus $5.62 for a raw near-mint copy — a 206× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Walt Michaels #146?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,504, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,157. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Walt Michaels #146 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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