Is Tom Day #38 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1969 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Tom Day #38 sells for $238 against $1.25 raw: a $237 spread, 191× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.00) 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)
- $1.25
- PSA 10
- $238
- PSA 9
- $47.00
- Gem premium
- 191×
- 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 | $238 | +$212 | +$187 | +$86.94 |
| PSA 9 | $47.00 | +$20.75 | −$4.25 | −$104 |
| PSA 8 | $24.31 | −$1.94 | −$26.94 | −$127 |
Net = sale price − $1.25 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% | $94.80 | +$43.55 |
| 50% | $143 | +$91.34 |
| 75% | $190 | +$139 |
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 | $310 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $238 | −$71.81 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $143 | −$167 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $143 | −$167 | 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 Tom Day #38 — FAQ
Is Tom Day #38 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tom Day #38 sells for $238 against $1.25 raw: a $237 spread, 191× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.00) 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 Tom Day #38 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tom Day #38 (Football Cards 1969 Topps) sells for about $238 versus $1.25 for a raw near-mint copy — a 191× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tom Day #38?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $310, ahead of PSA 10 at $238. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tom Day #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 Tom Day #38 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tom Day #38 breaks even when it gems about 2% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $47.00).
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