Is Buck Martinez #163 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1971 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Buck Martinez #163 sells for $3,199 against $2.25 raw: a $3,197 spread, 1422× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,666) 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)
- $2.25
- PSA 10
- $3,199
- PSA 9
- $2,666
- Gem premium
- 1422×
- As of
- Sep 2, 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 | $3,199 | +$3,172 | +$3,147 | +$3,047 |
| PSA 9 | $2,666 | +$2,639 | +$2,614 | +$2,514 |
| PSA 8 | $51.44 | +$24.19 | −$0.81 | −$101 |
Net = sale price − $2.25 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% | $2,799 | +$2,747 |
| 50% | $2,933 | +$2,880 |
| 75% | $3,066 | +$3,014 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $4,159 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $3,199 | −$960 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,919 | −$2,240 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,919 | −$2,240 | 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 Buck Martinez #163 — FAQ
Is Buck Martinez #163 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Buck Martinez #163 sells for $3,199 against $2.25 raw: a $3,197 spread, 1422× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,666) 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 Buck Martinez #163 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Buck Martinez #163 (Baseball Cards 1971 Topps) sells for about $3,199 versus $2.25 for a raw near-mint copy — a 1422× premium as of Sep 2, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Buck Martinez #163?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $4,159, ahead of PSA 10 at $3,199. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Buck Martinez #163 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.
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