Is Paul Lowe #157 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1961 Fleer · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Paul Lowe #157 sells for $182 against $5.93 raw: a $176 spread, 31× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($49.14) 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)
- $5.93
- PSA 10
- $182
- PSA 9
- $49.14
- Gem premium
- 31×
- 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 | $182 | +$151 | +$126 | +$26.04 |
| PSA 9 | $49.14 | +$18.21 | −$6.79 | −$107 |
| PSA 8 | $40.62 | +$9.69 | −$15.31 | −$115 |
Net = sale price − $5.93 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% | $82.35 | +$26.42 |
| 50% | $116 | +$59.63 |
| 75% | $149 | +$92.83 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 5%. 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 | $237 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $182 | −$55.03 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $109 | −$128 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $109 | −$128 | 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 Paul Lowe #157 — FAQ
Is Paul Lowe #157 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Paul Lowe #157 sells for $182 against $5.93 raw: a $176 spread, 31× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($49.14) 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 Paul Lowe #157 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Paul Lowe #157 (Football Cards 1961 Fleer) sells for about $182 versus $5.93 for a raw near-mint copy — a 31× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Paul Lowe #157?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $237, ahead of PSA 10 at $182. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Paul Lowe #157 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 Paul Lowe #157 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Paul Lowe #157 breaks even when it gems about 5% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $49.14).
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