Is Gene Stephens #498 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1965 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Gene Stephens #498 sells for $617 against $2.61 raw: a $614 spread, 236× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($48.00) 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)
- $2.61
- PSA 10
- $617
- PSA 9
- $48.00
- Gem premium
- 236×
- 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 | $617 | +$589 | +$564 | +$464 |
| PSA 9 | $48.00 | +$20.39 | −$4.61 | −$105 |
| PSA 8 | $19.29 | −$8.32 | −$33.32 | −$133 |
Net = sale price − $2.61 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% | $190 | +$138 |
| 50% | $332 | +$280 |
| 75% | $475 | +$422 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. 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 | $802 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $617 | −$185 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $370 | −$432 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $370 | −$432 | 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 Gene Stephens #498 — FAQ
Is Gene Stephens #498 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Gene Stephens #498 sells for $617 against $2.61 raw: a $614 spread, 236× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($48.00) 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 Gene Stephens #498 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Gene Stephens #498 (Baseball Cards 1965 Topps) sells for about $617 versus $2.61 for a raw near-mint copy — a 236× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Gene Stephens #498?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $802, ahead of PSA 10 at $617. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Gene Stephens #498 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 Gene Stephens #498 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Gene Stephens #498 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $48.00).
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