Is Dave Washington #42 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1973 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dave Washington #42 sells for $92.56 against $1.40 raw: a $91.16 spread, 66× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.00) 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)
- $1.40
- PSA 10
- $92.56
- PSA 9
- $32.00
- Gem premium
- 66×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $92.56 | +$66.16 | +$41.16 | −$58.84 |
| PSA 9 | $32.00 | +$5.60 | −$19.40 | −$119 |
| PSA 8 | $28.79 | +$2.39 | −$22.61 | −$123 |
Net = sale price − $1.40 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% | $47.14 | −$4.26 |
| 50% | $62.28 | +$10.88 |
| 75% | $77.42 | +$26.02 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 32%. 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 | $120 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $92.56 | −$27.44 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $56.00 | −$64.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $56.00 | −$64.00 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $92.56 | $56.00 | $120 | $56.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $62.03 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $32.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $28.79 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Dave Washington #42 — FAQ
Is Dave Washington #42 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dave Washington #42 sells for $92.56 against $1.40 raw: a $91.16 spread, 66× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.00) 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 Dave Washington #42 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dave Washington #42 (Football Cards 1973 Topps) sells for about $92.56 versus $1.40 for a raw near-mint copy — a 66× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dave Washington #42?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $120, ahead of PSA 10 at $92.56. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dave Washington #42 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 Dave Washington #42 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Dave Washington #42 breaks even when it gems about 32% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $32.00).
Is your football card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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