Is Brian Downing #422 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1975 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A CGC 10 Brian Downing #422 sells for $3,780 against $3.09 raw: a $3,777 spread, 1223× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.47) 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)
- $3.09
- CGC 10
- $3,780
- PSA 9
- $35.47
- Gem premium
- 1223×
- As of
- Sep 2, 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 | $3,780 | +$3,752 | +$3,727 | +$3,627 |
| PSA 9 | $35.47 | +$7.38 | −$17.62 | −$118 |
| PSA 8 | $17.95 | −$10.14 | −$35.14 | −$135 |
Net = sale price − $3.09 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% | $972 | +$919 |
| 50% | $1,908 | +$1,855 |
| 75% | $2,844 | +$2,791 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $3,780 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $3,780 | 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 Brian Downing #422 — FAQ
Is Brian Downing #422 worth grading?
A CGC 10 Brian Downing #422 sells for $3,780 against $3.09 raw: a $3,777 spread, 1223× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.47) 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 Brian Downing #422?
By resale value, CGC 10 leads at $3,780, ahead of SGC 10 at $3,780. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Brian Downing #422 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.
What gem rate makes grading Brian Downing #422 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Brian Downing #422 breaks even when it gems about 0% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $35.47).
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