Is Phillies 1966 Rookie Stars #254 worth grading?
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Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A CGC 10 Phillies 1966 Rookie Stars #254 sells for $20,160 against $21.05 raw: a $20,139 spread, 958× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,974) 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)
- $21.05
- CGC 10
- $20,160
- PSA 9
- $1,974
- Gem premium
- 958×
- As of
- Sep 4, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — CGC 10 | $20,160 | +$20,114 | +$20,089 | +$19,989 |
| PSA 9 | $1,974 | +$1,928 | +$1,903 | +$1,803 |
| PSA 8 | $634 | +$588 | +$563 | +$463 |
Net = sale price − $21.05 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% | $6,520 | +$6,449 |
| 50% | $11,067 | +$10,996 |
| 75% | $15,613 | +$15,542 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $20,160 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $20,160 | best | 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 Phillies 1966 Rookie Stars #254 — FAQ
Is Phillies 1966 Rookie Stars #254 worth grading?
A CGC 10 Phillies 1966 Rookie Stars #254 sells for $20,160 against $21.05 raw: a $20,139 spread, 958× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,974) 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.
Which grading company is best for Phillies 1966 Rookie Stars #254?
By resale value, CGC 10 leads at $20,160, ahead of SGC 10 at $20,160. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Phillies 1966 Rookie Stars #254 need for a CGC 10?
CGC publishes 55/45 front and 75/25 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.
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