![O.J. Simpson [Cream Colored Back] #170 (Football Cards 1979 Topps) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/XLQAAeSwDkJpdRsR/s-l1600.jpg)
Is O.J. Simpson [Cream Colored Back] #170 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1979 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 O.J. Simpson [Cream Colored Back] #170 sells for $272 against $2.85 raw: a $269 spread, 95× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.30) 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)
- $2.85
- PSA 10
- $272
- PSA 9
- $47.30
- Gem premium
- 95×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $272 | +$244 | +$219 | +$119 |
| PSA 9 | $47.30 | +$19.45 | −$5.55 | −$106 |
| PSA 8 | $20.34 | −$7.51 | −$32.51 | −$133 |
Net = sale price − $2.85 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% | $103 | +$50.58 |
| 50% | $160 | +$107 |
| 75% | $216 | +$163 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 2%. 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 | $353 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $272 | −$81.16 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $163 | −$190 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $163 | −$190 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $272 | $163 | $353 | $163 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $85.11 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $47.30 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $20.34 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1979 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Walter Payton [All Pro] #480 1979 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/CFUAAeSwDF1qU7gC/s-l500.jpg)
Grading O.J. Simpson [Cream Colored Back] #170 — FAQ
Is O.J. Simpson [Cream Colored Back] #170 worth grading?
A PSA 10 O.J. Simpson [Cream Colored Back] #170 sells for $272 against $2.85 raw: a $269 spread, 95× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.30) 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 O.J. Simpson [Cream Colored Back] #170 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 O.J. Simpson [Cream Colored Back] #170 (Football Cards 1979 Topps) sells for about $272 versus $2.85 for a raw near-mint copy — a 95× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for O.J. Simpson [Cream Colored Back] #170?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $353, ahead of PSA 10 at $272. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does O.J. Simpson [Cream Colored Back] #170 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 O.J. Simpson [Cream Colored Back] #170 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting O.J. Simpson [Cream Colored Back] #170 breaks even when it gems about 2% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $47.30).
Is your football card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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