Is Pirates 1971 Rookie Stars #343 worth grading?
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Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Pirates 1971 Rookie Stars #343 sells for $225 against $1.55 raw: a $224 spread, 145× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($144) 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)
- $1.55
- PSA 10
- $225
- PSA 9
- $144
- Gem premium
- 145×
- 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 | $225 | +$199 | +$174 | +$73.78 |
| PSA 9 | $144 | +$117 | +$92.45 | −$7.55 |
| PSA 8 | $32.89 | +$6.34 | −$18.66 | −$119 |
Net = sale price − $1.55 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% | $164 | +$113 |
| 50% | $185 | +$133 |
| 75% | $205 | +$153 |
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 | $293 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $225 | −$67.67 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $135 | −$158 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $135 | −$158 | 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 Pirates 1971 Rookie Stars #343 — FAQ
Is Pirates 1971 Rookie Stars #343 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pirates 1971 Rookie Stars #343 sells for $225 against $1.55 raw: a $224 spread, 145× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($144) 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 Pirates 1971 Rookie Stars #343 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Pirates 1971 Rookie Stars #343 (Baseball Cards 1971 Topps) sells for about $225 versus $1.55 for a raw near-mint copy — a 145× premium as of Sep 2, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pirates 1971 Rookie Stars #343?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $293, ahead of PSA 10 at $225. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Pirates 1971 Rookie Stars #343 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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