Is Bubba Smith #127 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1972 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Bubba Smith #127 sells for $105 against $1.92 raw: a $103 spread, 55× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($95.00) 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)
- $1.92
- Grade 9.5
- $105
- PSA 9
- $95.00
- Gem premium
- 55×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $105 | +$78.08 | +$53.08 | −$46.92 |
| PSA 9 | $95.00 | +$68.08 | +$43.08 | −$56.92 |
| PSA 8 | $31.34 | +$4.42 | −$20.58 | −$121 |
Net = sale price − $1.92 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% | $97.50 | +$45.58 |
| 50% | $100 | +$48.08 |
| 75% | $103 | +$50.58 |
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 Bubba Smith #127 — FAQ
Is Bubba Smith #127 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Bubba Smith #127 sells for $105 against $1.92 raw: a $103 spread, 55× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($95.00) 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.
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