Is Billy Johnson #390 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1978 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 67× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Billy Johnson #390 sells for $92.40 against $1.38 raw: a $91.02 spread, 67× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($16.84) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.38
- PSA 10
- $92.40
- PSA 9
- $16.84
- Gem premium
- 67×
- 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 | $92.40 | +$66.02 | +$41.02 | −$58.98 |
| PSA 9 | $16.84 | −$9.54 | −$34.54 | −$135 |
| PSA 8 | $3.26 | −$23.12 | −$48.12 | −$148 |
Net = sale price − $1.38 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% | $35.73 | −$15.65 |
| 50% | $54.62 | +$3.24 |
| 75% | $73.51 | +$22.13 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 46%. 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 | $92.40 | −$27.60 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $55.00 | −$65.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $55.00 | −$65.00 | 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 →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 1978 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Billy Johnson #390 — FAQ
Is Billy Johnson #390 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Billy Johnson #390 sells for $92.40 against $1.38 raw: a $91.02 spread, 67× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($16.84) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Billy Johnson #390 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Billy Johnson #390 (Football Cards 1978 Topps) sells for about $92.40 versus $1.38 for a raw near-mint copy — a 67× premium as of Sep 2, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Billy Johnson #390?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $120, ahead of PSA 10 at $92.40. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Billy Johnson #390 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 Billy Johnson #390 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Billy Johnson #390 breaks even when it gems about 46% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $16.84).
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.
