Is Mike Douglass #78 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1983 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 125× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Mike Douglass #78 sells for $208 against $1.67 raw: a $207 spread, 125× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.72) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.67
- PSA 10
- $208
- PSA 9
- $21.72
- Gem premium
- 125×
- 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 | $208 | +$182 | +$157 | +$56.60 |
| PSA 9 | $21.72 | −$4.95 | −$29.95 | −$130 |
| PSA 8 | $9.55 | −$17.12 | −$42.12 | −$142 |
Net = sale price − $1.67 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% | $68.36 | +$16.69 |
| 50% | $115 | +$63.33 |
| 75% | $162 | +$110 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 16%. 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 | $271 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $208 | −$62.73 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $125 | −$146 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $125 | −$146 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1983 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Mike Douglass #78 — FAQ
Is Mike Douglass #78 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Mike Douglass #78 sells for $208 against $1.67 raw: a $207 spread, 125× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.72) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Mike Douglass #78 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Mike Douglass #78 (Football Cards 1983 Topps) sells for about $208 versus $1.67 for a raw near-mint copy — a 125× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Mike Douglass #78?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $271, ahead of PSA 10 at $208. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Mike Douglass #78 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 Mike Douglass #78 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Mike Douglass #78 breaks even when it gems about 16% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $21.72).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your football card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
