
Is Joe Greene #495 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1981 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Joe Greene #495 sells for $517 against $2.59 raw: a $515 spread, 200× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($36.28) 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)
- $2.59
- PSA 10
- $517
- PSA 9
- $36.28
- Gem premium
- 200×
- 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 | $517 | +$490 | +$465 | +$365 |
| PSA 9 | $36.28 | +$8.69 | −$16.31 | −$116 |
| PSA 8 | $19.88 | −$7.71 | −$32.71 | −$133 |
Net = sale price − $2.59 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% | $156 | +$104 |
| 50% | $277 | +$224 |
| 75% | $397 | +$344 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 3%. 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 | $672 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $517 | −$155 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $310 | −$362 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $310 | −$362 | 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 | $517 | $310 | $672 | $310 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $69.04 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $36.28 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $19.88 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $15.00 |
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 Joe Greene #495 — FAQ
Is Joe Greene #495 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Joe Greene #495 sells for $517 against $2.59 raw: a $515 spread, 200× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($36.28) 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 Joe Greene #495 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Joe Greene #495 (Football Cards 1981 Topps) sells for about $517 versus $2.59 for a raw near-mint copy — a 200× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Joe Greene #495?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $672, ahead of PSA 10 at $517. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Joe Greene #495 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 Joe Greene #495 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Joe Greene #495 breaks even when it gems about 3% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $36.28).
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.
Check my card free



