Is Theotis Brown #502 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1981 Topps · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Theotis Brown #502 sell for $22.45, only $20.94 above the $1.51 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($12.99) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.51
- PSA 10
- $22.45
- PSA 9
- $12.99
- Gem premium
- 15×
- 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 | $22.45 | −$4.06 | −$29.06 | −$129 |
| PSA 9 | $12.99 | −$13.52 | −$38.52 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $1.51 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% | $15.36 | −$36.16 |
| 50% | $17.72 | −$33.79 |
| 75% | $20.08 | −$31.43 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $29.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $22.45 | −$6.55 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $13.00 | −$16.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $13.00 | −$16.00 | 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 | $22.45 | $13.00 | $29.00 | $13.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $14.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $12.99 |
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
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Grading Theotis Brown #502 — FAQ
Is Theotis Brown #502 worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Theotis Brown #502 sell for $22.45, only $20.94 above the $1.51 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($12.99) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Theotis Brown #502 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Theotis Brown #502 (Football Cards 1981 Topps) sells for about $22.45 versus $1.51 for a raw near-mint copy — a 15× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Theotis Brown #502?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $29.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $22.45. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Theotis Brown #502 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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