Is Sparky Lyle #649 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1971 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Sparky Lyle #649 sells for $2,373 against $9.52 raw: a $2,363 spread, 249× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,978) 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)
- $9.52
- PSA 10
- $2,373
- PSA 9
- $1,978
- Gem premium
- 249×
- 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 | $2,373 | +$2,338 | +$2,313 | +$2,213 |
| PSA 9 | $1,978 | +$1,943 | +$1,918 | +$1,818 |
| PSA 8 | $219 | +$184 | +$159 | +$59.25 |
Net = sale price − $9.52 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% | $2,077 | +$2,017 |
| 50% | $2,175 | +$2,116 |
| 75% | $2,274 | +$2,215 |
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 | $3,085 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $2,373 | −$712 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,424 | −$1,661 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,424 | −$1,661 | 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 Sparky Lyle #649 — FAQ
Is Sparky Lyle #649 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Sparky Lyle #649 sells for $2,373 against $9.52 raw: a $2,363 spread, 249× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,978) 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 Sparky Lyle #649 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Sparky Lyle #649 (Baseball Cards 1971 Topps) sells for about $2,373 versus $9.52 for a raw near-mint copy — a 249× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Sparky Lyle #649?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $3,085, ahead of PSA 10 at $2,373. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Sparky Lyle #649 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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