Is Stew Barber #23 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1965 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Stew Barber #23 sells for $2,016 against $12.60 raw: a $2,003 spread, 160× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($310) 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)
- $12.60
- PSA 10
- $2,016
- PSA 9
- $310
- Gem premium
- 160×
- 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 | $2,016 | +$1,978 | +$1,953 | +$1,853 |
| PSA 9 | $310 | +$272 | +$247 | +$147 |
| PSA 8 | $122 | +$84.43 | +$59.43 | −$40.57 |
Net = sale price − $12.60 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% | $736 | +$674 |
| 50% | $1,163 | +$1,100 |
| 75% | $1,589 | +$1,527 |
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 | $2,621 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $2,016 | −$605 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,210 | −$1,411 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,210 | −$1,411 | 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 Stew Barber #23 — FAQ
Is Stew Barber #23 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Stew Barber #23 sells for $2,016 against $12.60 raw: a $2,003 spread, 160× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($310) 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 Stew Barber #23 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Stew Barber #23 (Football Cards 1965 Topps) sells for about $2,016 versus $12.60 for a raw near-mint copy — a 160× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Stew Barber #23?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $2,621, ahead of PSA 10 at $2,016. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Stew Barber #23 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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