Is Earl Campbell, Ken Burrough, Willie Alexander, Elvin Bethea [Cream Colored Back] #301 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1979 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Earl Campbell, Ken Burrough, Willie Alexander, Elvin Bethea [Cream Colored Back] #301 sells for $188 against $1.85 raw: a $186 spread, 102× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.40) 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)
- $1.85
- PSA 10
- $188
- PSA 9
- $34.40
- Gem premium
- 102×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $188 | +$161 | +$136 | +$36.40 |
| PSA 9 | $34.40 | +$7.55 | −$17.45 | −$117 |
| PSA 8 | $15.02 | −$11.83 | −$36.83 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $1.85 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% | $72.86 | +$21.01 |
| 50% | $111 | +$59.48 |
| 75% | $150 | +$97.94 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 11%. 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 | $245 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $188 | −$56.75 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $113 | −$132 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $113 | −$132 | 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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Grading Earl Campbell, Ken Burrough, Willie Alexander, Elvin Bethea [Cream Colored Back] #301 — FAQ
Is Earl Campbell, Ken Burrough, Willie Alexander, Elvin Bethea [Cream Colored Back] #301 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Earl Campbell, Ken Burrough, Willie Alexander, Elvin Bethea [Cream Colored Back] #301 sells for $188 against $1.85 raw: a $186 spread, 102× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.40) 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 Earl Campbell, Ken Burrough, Willie Alexander, Elvin Bethea [Cream Colored Back] #301 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Earl Campbell, Ken Burrough, Willie Alexander, Elvin Bethea [Cream Colored Back] #301 (Football Cards 1979 Topps) sells for about $188 versus $1.85 for a raw near-mint copy — a 102× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Earl Campbell, Ken Burrough, Willie Alexander, Elvin Bethea [Cream Colored Back] #301?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $245, ahead of PSA 10 at $188. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Earl Campbell, Ken Burrough, Willie Alexander, Elvin Bethea [Cream Colored Back] #301 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 Earl Campbell, Ken Burrough, Willie Alexander, Elvin Bethea [Cream Colored Back] #301 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Earl Campbell, Ken Burrough, Willie Alexander, Elvin Bethea [Cream Colored Back] #301 breaks even when it gems about 11% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $34.40).
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