Is Ken Houston #415 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1973 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ken Houston #415 sells for $477 against $1.54 raw: a $475 spread, 310× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.75) 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)
- $1.54
- PSA 10
- $477
- PSA 9
- $34.75
- Gem premium
- 310×
- 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 | $477 | +$450 | +$425 | +$325 |
| PSA 9 | $34.75 | +$8.21 | −$16.79 | −$117 |
| PSA 8 | $19.48 | −$7.06 | −$32.06 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $1.54 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% | $145 | +$93.69 |
| 50% | $256 | +$204 |
| 75% | $366 | +$315 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 4%. 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 | $620 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $477 | −$143 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $286 | −$334 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $286 | −$334 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1973 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Ken Houston #415 — FAQ
Is Ken Houston #415 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ken Houston #415 sells for $477 against $1.54 raw: a $475 spread, 310× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.75) 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 Ken Houston #415 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ken Houston #415 (Football Cards 1973 Topps) sells for about $477 versus $1.54 for a raw near-mint copy — a 310× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ken Houston #415?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $620, ahead of PSA 10 at $477. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ken Houston #415 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 Ken Houston #415 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ken Houston #415 breaks even when it gems about 4% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $34.75).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your football card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
