Is Walter Roberts #38 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1965 Philadelphia · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Walter Roberts #38 sells for $214 against $1.16 raw: a $212 spread, 184× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($48.20) 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)
- $1.16
- PSA 10
- $214
- PSA 9
- $48.20
- Gem premium
- 184×
- 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 | $214 | +$187 | +$162 | +$62.34 |
| PSA 9 | $48.20 | +$22.04 | −$2.96 | −$103 |
| PSA 8 | $17.91 | −$8.25 | −$33.25 | −$133 |
Net = sale price − $1.16 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% | $89.53 | +$38.37 |
| 50% | $131 | +$79.69 |
| 75% | $172 | +$121 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 2%. 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 | $278 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $214 | −$64.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $128 | −$150 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $128 | −$150 | 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 Walter Roberts #38 — FAQ
Is Walter Roberts #38 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Walter Roberts #38 sells for $214 against $1.16 raw: a $212 spread, 184× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($48.20) 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 Walter Roberts #38 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Walter Roberts #38 (Football Cards 1965 Philadelphia) sells for about $214 versus $1.16 for a raw near-mint copy — a 184× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Walter Roberts #38?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $278, ahead of PSA 10 at $214. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Walter Roberts #38 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 Walter Roberts #38 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Walter Roberts #38 breaks even when it gems about 2% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $48.20).
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