Is Willie Montanez #162 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1975 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Willie Montanez #162 sells for $1,912 against $1.77 raw: a $1,910 spread, 1080× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($31.21) 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)
- $1.77
- PSA 10
- $1,912
- PSA 9
- $31.21
- Gem premium
- 1080×
- 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 | $1,912 | +$1,885 | +$1,860 | +$1,760 |
| PSA 9 | $31.21 | +$4.44 | −$20.56 | −$121 |
| PSA 8 | $10.85 | −$15.92 | −$40.92 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $1.77 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% | $501 | +$450 |
| 50% | $971 | +$920 |
| 75% | $1,441 | +$1,390 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. 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 | $2,485 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,912 | −$573 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,147 | −$1,338 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,147 | −$1,338 | 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 Willie Montanez #162 — FAQ
Is Willie Montanez #162 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Willie Montanez #162 sells for $1,912 against $1.77 raw: a $1,910 spread, 1080× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($31.21) 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 Willie Montanez #162 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Willie Montanez #162 (Baseball Cards 1975 Topps) sells for about $1,912 versus $1.77 for a raw near-mint copy — a 1080× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Willie Montanez #162?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $2,485, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,912. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Willie Montanez #162 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 Willie Montanez #162 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Willie Montanez #162 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $31.21).
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