Is Ray Mathews #78 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1958 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ray Mathews #78 sells for $2,088 against $3.04 raw: a $2,085 spread, 687× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,740) 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)
- $3.04
- PSA 10
- $2,088
- PSA 9
- $1,740
- Gem premium
- 687×
- 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 | $2,088 | +$2,060 | +$2,035 | +$1,935 |
| PSA 9 | $1,740 | +$1,712 | +$1,687 | +$1,587 |
| PSA 8 | $299 | +$271 | +$246 | +$146 |
Net = sale price − $3.04 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% | $1,827 | +$1,774 |
| 50% | $1,914 | +$1,861 |
| 75% | $2,001 | +$1,948 |
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 | $2,714 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $2,088 | −$626 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,253 | −$1,461 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,253 | −$1,461 | 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 Ray Mathews #78 — FAQ
Is Ray Mathews #78 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ray Mathews #78 sells for $2,088 against $3.04 raw: a $2,085 spread, 687× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,740) 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 Ray Mathews #78 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ray Mathews #78 (Football Cards 1958 Topps) sells for about $2,088 versus $3.04 for a raw near-mint copy — a 687× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ray Mathews #78?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $2,714, ahead of PSA 10 at $2,088. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ray Mathews #78 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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