Is Steve Garvey #686 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1972 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Steve Garvey #686 sells for $17,690 against $35.44 raw: a $17,655 spread, 499× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($498) 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)
- $35.44
- PSA 10
- $17,690
- PSA 9
- $498
- Gem premium
- 499×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $17,690 | +$17,630 | +$17,605 | +$17,505 |
| PSA 9 | $498 | +$438 | +$413 | +$313 |
| PSA 8 | $164 | +$103 | +$78.09 | −$21.91 |
Net = sale price − $35.44 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% | $4,796 | +$4,711 |
| 50% | $9,094 | +$9,009 |
| 75% | $13,392 | +$13,307 |
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 | $22,997 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $17,690 | −$5,307 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $10,614 | −$12,383 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $10,614 | −$12,383 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $17,690 | $10,614 | $22,997 | $10,614 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $1,181 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $498 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $164 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $75.29 |
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 →
Grading Steve Garvey #686 — FAQ
Is Steve Garvey #686 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Steve Garvey #686 sells for $17,690 against $35.44 raw: a $17,655 spread, 499× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($498) 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 Steve Garvey #686 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Steve Garvey #686 (Baseball Cards 1972 Topps) sells for about $17,690 versus $35.44 for a raw near-mint copy — a 499× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Steve Garvey #686?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $22,997, ahead of PSA 10 at $17,690. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Steve Garvey #686 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.
Is your baseball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
Check my card free