Is James Brooks #213 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1985 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 57× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 James Brooks #213 sells for $86.00 against $1.50 raw: a $84.50 spread, 57× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.00) 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)
- $1.50
- PSA 10
- $86.00
- PSA 9
- $25.00
- Gem premium
- 57×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $86.00 | +$59.50 | +$34.50 | −$65.50 |
| PSA 9 | $25.00 | −$1.50 | −$26.50 | −$127 |
| PSA 8 | $20.00 | −$6.50 | −$31.50 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $1.50 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% | $40.25 | −$11.25 |
| 50% | $55.50 | +$4.00 |
| 75% | $70.75 | +$19.25 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 43%. 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 | $112 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $86.00 | −$26.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $52.00 | −$60.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $52.00 | −$60.00 | 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 James Brooks #213 — FAQ
Is James Brooks #213 worth grading?
A PSA 10 James Brooks #213 sells for $86.00 against $1.50 raw: a $84.50 spread, 57× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.00) 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 James Brooks #213 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 James Brooks #213 (Football Cards 1985 Topps) sells for about $86.00 versus $1.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 57× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for James Brooks #213?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $112, ahead of PSA 10 at $86.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does James Brooks #213 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 James Brooks #213 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting James Brooks #213 breaks even when it gems about 43% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $25.00).
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