Is Tom Mullady #417 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1981 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 102× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Tom Mullady #417 sells for $142 against $1.39 raw: a $141 spread, 102× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($16.99) 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)
- $1.39
- PSA 10
- $142
- PSA 9
- $16.99
- 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 | $142 | +$116 | +$90.87 | −$9.13 |
| PSA 9 | $16.99 | −$9.40 | −$34.40 | −$134 |
| PSA 8 | $10.00 | −$16.39 | −$41.39 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $1.39 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% | $48.31 | −$3.08 |
| 50% | $79.63 | +$28.23 |
| 75% | $111 | +$59.55 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 27%. 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 | $185 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $142 | −$42.74 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $85.00 | −$100 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $85.00 | −$100 | 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 1981 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Tom Mullady #417 — FAQ
Is Tom Mullady #417 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tom Mullady #417 sells for $142 against $1.39 raw: a $141 spread, 102× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($16.99) 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 Tom Mullady #417 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tom Mullady #417 (Football Cards 1981 Topps) sells for about $142 versus $1.39 for a raw near-mint copy — a 102× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tom Mullady #417?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $185, ahead of PSA 10 at $142. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tom Mullady #417 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 Tom Mullady #417 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tom Mullady #417 breaks even when it gems about 27% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $16.99).
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.
