Is Bill Bates #38 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1985 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Bill Bates #38 sells for $445 against $2.20 raw: a $443 spread, 202× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($60.00) 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)
- $2.20
- PSA 10
- $445
- PSA 9
- $60.00
- Gem premium
- 202×
- 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 | $445 | +$418 | +$393 | +$293 |
| PSA 9 | $60.00 | +$32.80 | +$7.80 | −$92.20 |
| PSA 8 | $54.99 | +$27.79 | +$2.79 | −$97.21 |
Net = sale price − $2.20 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% | $156 | +$104 |
| 50% | $253 | +$200 |
| 75% | $349 | +$297 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $579 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $445 | −$134 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $267 | −$312 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $267 | −$312 | 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 | $445 | $267 | $579 | $267 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $66.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $60.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $54.99 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $33.35 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1985 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Bill Bates #38 — FAQ
Is Bill Bates #38 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Bill Bates #38 sells for $445 against $2.20 raw: a $443 spread, 202× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($60.00) 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 Bill Bates #38 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Bill Bates #38 (Football Cards 1985 Topps) sells for about $445 versus $2.20 for a raw near-mint copy — a 202× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Bill Bates #38?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $579, ahead of PSA 10 at $445. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Bill Bates #38 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.
Check my card free