Is Don McCauley #43 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1974 Topps Parker Brothers · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Don McCauley #43 sells for $372 against $2.70 raw: a $369 spread, 138× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($338) 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)
- $2.70
- Grade 9.5
- $372
- PSA 9
- $338
- Gem premium
- 138×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $372 | +$344 | +$319 | +$219 |
| PSA 9 | $338 | +$310 | +$285 | +$185 |
| PSA 8 | $44.36 | +$16.66 | −$8.34 | −$108 |
Net = sale price − $2.70 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% | $347 | +$294 |
| 50% | $355 | +$302 |
| 75% | $364 | +$311 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading Don McCauley #43 — FAQ
Is Don McCauley #43 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Don McCauley #43 sells for $372 against $2.70 raw: a $369 spread, 138× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($338) 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.
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