Is 1973 Rookie Third Basemen #615 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1973 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A CGC 10 1973 Rookie Third Basemen #615 sells for $122,400 against $134 raw: a $122,266 spread, 911× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($7,664) 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)
- $134
- CGC 10
- $122,400
- PSA 9
- $7,664
- Gem premium
- 911×
- 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 — CGC 10 | $122,400 | +$122,241 | +$122,216 | +$122,116 |
| PSA 9 | $7,664 | +$7,504 | +$7,479 | +$7,379 |
| PSA 8 | $1,830 | +$1,671 | +$1,646 | +$1,546 |
Net = sale price − $134 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% | $36,348 | +$36,163 |
| 50% | $65,032 | +$64,847 |
| 75% | $93,716 | +$93,531 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $122,400 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $122,400 | best | 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 1973 Rookie Third Basemen #615 — FAQ
Is 1973 Rookie Third Basemen #615 worth grading?
A CGC 10 1973 Rookie Third Basemen #615 sells for $122,400 against $134 raw: a $122,266 spread, 911× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($7,664) 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.
Which grading company is best for 1973 Rookie Third Basemen #615?
By resale value, CGC 10 leads at $122,400, ahead of SGC 10 at $122,400. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does 1973 Rookie Third Basemen #615 need for a CGC 10?
CGC publishes 55/45 front and 75/25 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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