
Is Dwight Clark #422 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1981 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dwight Clark #422 sells for $1,861 against $2.99 raw: a $1,858 spread, 622× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($98.68) 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)
- $2.99
- PSA 10
- $1,861
- PSA 9
- $98.68
- Gem premium
- 622×
- 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 | $1,861 | +$1,833 | +$1,808 | +$1,708 |
| PSA 9 | $98.68 | +$70.69 | +$45.69 | −$54.31 |
| PSA 8 | $30.88 | +$2.89 | −$22.11 | −$122 |
Net = sale price − $2.99 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% | $539 | +$486 |
| 50% | $980 | +$927 |
| 75% | $1,420 | +$1,367 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $2,419 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,861 | −$558 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,117 | −$1,302 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,117 | −$1,302 | 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 | $1,861 | $1,117 | $2,419 | $1,117 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $115 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $98.68 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $30.88 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $25.00 |
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 Dwight Clark #422 — FAQ
Is Dwight Clark #422 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dwight Clark #422 sells for $1,861 against $2.99 raw: a $1,858 spread, 622× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($98.68) 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 Dwight Clark #422 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dwight Clark #422 (Football Cards 1981 Topps) sells for about $1,861 versus $2.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 622× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dwight Clark #422?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $2,419, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,861. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dwight Clark #422 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.
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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