Is Joe Niekro #216 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1972 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Joe Niekro #216 sells for $453 against $2.40 raw: a $451 spread, 189× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($33.00) 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)
- $2.40
- PSA 10
- $453
- PSA 9
- $33.00
- Gem premium
- 189×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $453 | +$426 | +$401 | +$301 |
| PSA 9 | $33.00 | +$5.60 | −$19.40 | −$119 |
| PSA 8 | $20.03 | −$7.37 | −$32.37 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $2.40 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% | $138 | +$85.66 |
| 50% | $243 | +$191 |
| 75% | $348 | +$296 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 5%. 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 | $589 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $453 | −$136 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $272 | −$317 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $272 | −$317 | 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 Joe Niekro #216 — FAQ
Is Joe Niekro #216 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Joe Niekro #216 sells for $453 against $2.40 raw: a $451 spread, 189× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($33.00) 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 Joe Niekro #216 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Joe Niekro #216 (Baseball Cards 1972 Topps) sells for about $453 versus $2.40 for a raw near-mint copy — a 189× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Joe Niekro #216?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $589, ahead of PSA 10 at $453. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Joe Niekro #216 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 Joe Niekro #216 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Joe Niekro #216 breaks even when it gems about 5% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $33.00).
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