Is Rudy May #481 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1976 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Rudy May #481 sells for $183 against $1.55 raw: a $182 spread, 118× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($59.99) 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)
- $1.55
- PSA 10
- $183
- PSA 9
- $59.99
- Gem premium
- 118×
- 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 | $183 | +$157 | +$132 | +$31.85 |
| PSA 9 | $59.99 | +$33.44 | +$8.44 | −$91.56 |
| PSA 8 | $24.49 | −$2.06 | −$27.06 | −$127 |
Net = sale price − $1.55 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% | $90.84 | +$39.29 |
| 50% | $122 | +$70.15 |
| 75% | $153 | +$101 |
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 | $238 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $183 | −$54.60 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $110 | −$128 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $110 | −$128 | 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 Rudy May #481 — FAQ
Is Rudy May #481 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Rudy May #481 sells for $183 against $1.55 raw: a $182 spread, 118× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($59.99) 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 Rudy May #481 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Rudy May #481 (Baseball Cards 1976 Topps) sells for about $183 versus $1.55 for a raw near-mint copy — a 118× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Rudy May #481?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $238, ahead of PSA 10 at $183. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Rudy May #481 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.
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