Is Ron Rivera #81 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1988 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 34× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Ron Rivera #81 sells for $57.54 against $1.67 raw: a $55.87 spread, 34× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($11.05) 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
- $57.54
- PSA 9
- $11.05
- Gem premium
- 34×
- 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 | $57.54 | +$30.87 | +$5.87 | −$94.13 |
| PSA 9 | $11.05 | −$15.62 | −$40.62 | −$141 |
| PSA 8 | $10.00 | −$16.67 | −$41.67 | −$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% | $22.67 | −$29.00 |
| 50% | $34.30 | −$17.38 |
| 75% | $45.92 | −$5.75 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 87%. 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 | $75.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $57.54 | −$17.46 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $35.00 | −$40.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $35.00 | −$40.00 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $57.54 | $35.00 | $75.00 | $35.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $41.11 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $11.05 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $10.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1988 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
![Browns Team Leaders [Kosar Lets It Go] #85 1988 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/G2cAAOSwCNhkRYSw/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Ron Rivera #81 — FAQ
Is Ron Rivera #81 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ron Rivera #81 sells for $57.54 against $1.67 raw: a $55.87 spread, 34× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($11.05) 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 Ron Rivera #81 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ron Rivera #81 (Football Cards 1988 Topps) sells for about $57.54 versus $1.67 for a raw near-mint copy — a 34× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ron Rivera #81?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $75.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $57.54. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ron Rivera #81 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 Ron Rivera #81 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ron Rivera #81 breaks even when it gems about 87% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $11.05).
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