Is Ray Guy #510 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1981 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ray Guy #510 sells for $178 against $1.53 raw: a $177 spread, 116× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($28.62) 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)
- $1.53
- PSA 10
- $178
- PSA 9
- $28.62
- Gem premium
- 116×
- As of
- Sep 4, 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 | $178 | +$152 | +$127 | +$26.58 |
| PSA 9 | $28.62 | +$2.09 | −$22.91 | −$123 |
| PSA 8 | $15.73 | −$10.80 | −$35.80 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $1.53 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% | $65.99 | +$14.46 |
| 50% | $103 | +$51.84 |
| 75% | $141 | +$89.21 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 15%. 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 | $232 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $178 | −$53.89 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $107 | −$125 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $107 | −$125 | 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 Ray Guy #510 — FAQ
Is Ray Guy #510 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ray Guy #510 sells for $178 against $1.53 raw: a $177 spread, 116× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($28.62) 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 Ray Guy #510 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ray Guy #510 (Football Cards 1981 Topps) sells for about $178 versus $1.53 for a raw near-mint copy — a 116× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ray Guy #510?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $232, ahead of PSA 10 at $178. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ray Guy #510 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 Ray Guy #510 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ray Guy #510 breaks even when it gems about 15% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $28.62).
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