Is Lester Hayes #301 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1983 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Lester Hayes #301 sells for $77.37 against $1.05 raw: a $76.32 spread, 74× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($27.00) 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)
- $1.05
- PSA 10
- $77.37
- PSA 9
- $27.00
- Gem premium
- 74×
- 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 | $77.37 | +$51.32 | +$26.32 | −$73.68 |
| PSA 9 | $27.00 | +$0.95 | −$24.05 | −$124 |
| PSA 8 | $24.99 | −$1.06 | −$26.06 | −$126 |
Net = sale price − $1.05 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% | $39.59 | −$11.46 |
| 50% | $52.19 | +$1.14 |
| 75% | $64.78 | +$13.73 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 48%. 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 | $101 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $77.37 | −$23.63 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $46.00 | −$55.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $46.00 | −$55.00 | 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.
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Grading Lester Hayes #301 — FAQ
Is Lester Hayes #301 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lester Hayes #301 sells for $77.37 against $1.05 raw: a $76.32 spread, 74× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($27.00) 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 Lester Hayes #301 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lester Hayes #301 (Football Cards 1983 Topps) sells for about $77.37 versus $1.05 for a raw near-mint copy — a 74× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lester Hayes #301?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $101, ahead of PSA 10 at $77.37. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lester Hayes #301 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 Lester Hayes #301 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Lester Hayes #301 breaks even when it gems about 48% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $27.00).
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