Is John Riggins #520 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1982 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 John Riggins #520 sells for $200 against $1.86 raw: a $198 spread, 108× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($31.00) 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)
- $1.86
- PSA 10
- $200
- PSA 9
- $31.00
- Gem premium
- 108×
- 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 | $200 | +$173 | +$148 | +$48.13 |
| PSA 9 | $31.00 | +$4.14 | −$20.86 | −$121 |
| PSA 8 | $16.00 | −$10.86 | −$35.86 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $1.86 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% | $73.25 | +$21.39 |
| 50% | $115 | +$63.64 |
| 75% | $158 | +$106 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 12%. 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 | $260 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $200 | −$60.01 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $120 | −$140 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $120 | −$140 | 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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Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading John Riggins #520 — FAQ
Is John Riggins #520 worth grading?
A PSA 10 John Riggins #520 sells for $200 against $1.86 raw: a $198 spread, 108× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($31.00) 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 John Riggins #520 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 John Riggins #520 (Football Cards 1982 Topps) sells for about $200 versus $1.86 for a raw near-mint copy — a 108× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for John Riggins #520?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $260, ahead of PSA 10 at $200. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does John Riggins #520 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 John Riggins #520 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting John Riggins #520 breaks even when it gems about 12% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $31.00).
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