Is Brian Sipe #259 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1977 Topps Mexican · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Brian Sipe #259 sells for $188 against $14.30 raw: a $174 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($171) 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)
- $14.30
- Grade 9.5
- $188
- PSA 9
- $171
- Gem premium
- 13×
- As of
- Sep 2, 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 | $188 | +$149 | +$124 | +$23.70 |
| PSA 9 | $171 | +$132 | +$107 | +$6.70 |
| PSA 8 | $155 | +$116 | +$90.70 | −$9.30 |
Net = sale price − $14.30 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% | $175 | +$111 |
| 50% | $180 | +$115 |
| 75% | $184 | +$119 |
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 Brian Sipe #259 — FAQ
Is Brian Sipe #259 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Brian Sipe #259 sells for $188 against $14.30 raw: a $174 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($171) 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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