Is Walter Payton #J worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1987 Topps Box Bottoms Hand Cut · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Walter Payton #J sells for $859 against $51.00 raw: a $808 spread, 17× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($781) 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)
- $51.00
- Grade 9.5
- $859
- PSA 9
- $781
- Gem premium
- 17×
- As of
- Oct 21, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — Grade 9.5 | $859 | +$783 | +$758 | +$658 |
| PSA 9 | $781 | +$705 | +$680 | +$580 |
| PSA 8 | $233 | +$157 | +$132 | +$31.50 |
Net = sale price − $51.00 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% | $801 | +$700 |
| 50% | $820 | +$719 |
| 75% | $840 | +$739 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading Walter Payton #J — FAQ
Is Walter Payton #J worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Walter Payton #J sells for $859 against $51.00 raw: a $808 spread, 17× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($781) 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.
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