Is Tampa Bay Buccaneers [Play Action] #53 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1978 Fleer Team Action · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Tampa Bay Buccaneers [Play Action] #53 sells for $198 against $1.99 raw: a $196 spread, 99× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.84) 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)
- $1.99
- PSA 10
- $198
- PSA 9
- $35.84
- Gem premium
- 99×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $198 | +$171 | +$146 | +$45.98 |
| PSA 9 | $35.84 | +$8.85 | −$16.15 | −$116 |
| PSA 8 | $15.56 | −$11.43 | −$36.43 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $1.99 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% | $76.37 | +$24.38 |
| 50% | $117 | +$64.92 |
| 75% | $157 | +$105 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 10%. 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 | $257 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $198 | −$59.03 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $119 | −$138 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $119 | −$138 | 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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Other 1978 Fleer Team Action cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Tampa Bay Buccaneers [Play Action] #53 — FAQ
Is Tampa Bay Buccaneers [Play Action] #53 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tampa Bay Buccaneers [Play Action] #53 sells for $198 against $1.99 raw: a $196 spread, 99× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.84) 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 Tampa Bay Buccaneers [Play Action] #53 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tampa Bay Buccaneers [Play Action] #53 (Football Cards 1978 Fleer Team Action) sells for about $198 versus $1.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 99× premium as of Sep 2, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tampa Bay Buccaneers [Play Action] #53?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $257, ahead of PSA 10 at $198. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tampa Bay Buccaneers [Play Action] #53 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 Tampa Bay Buccaneers [Play Action] #53 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tampa Bay Buccaneers [Play Action] #53 breaks even when it gems about 10% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $35.84).
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