Is Ray Culp #2 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1972 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ray Culp #2 sells for $933 against $1.99 raw: a $931 spread, 469× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($48.20) 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)
- $1.99
- PSA 10
- $933
- PSA 9
- $48.20
- Gem premium
- 469×
- 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 | $933 | +$906 | +$881 | +$781 |
| PSA 9 | $48.20 | +$21.21 | −$3.79 | −$104 |
| PSA 8 | $43.22 | +$16.23 | −$8.77 | −$109 |
Net = sale price − $1.99 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% | $269 | +$217 |
| 50% | $491 | +$439 |
| 75% | $712 | +$660 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 0%. 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 | $1,213 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $933 | −$280 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $560 | −$653 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $560 | −$653 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1972 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Roberto Clemente [In Action] #310 1972 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/iRUAAeSw-KtqRx5X/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Ray Culp #2 — FAQ
Is Ray Culp #2 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ray Culp #2 sells for $933 against $1.99 raw: a $931 spread, 469× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($48.20) 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 Ray Culp #2 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ray Culp #2 (Baseball Cards 1972 Topps) sells for about $933 versus $1.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 469× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ray Culp #2?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,213, ahead of PSA 10 at $933. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ray Culp #2 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 Ray Culp #2 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ray Culp #2 breaks even when it gems about 0% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $48.20).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your baseball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
