Is Dock Ellis #71 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1977 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dock Ellis #71 sells for $99.10 against $1.50 raw: a $97.60 spread, 66× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($53.49) 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)
- $1.50
- PSA 10
- $99.10
- PSA 9
- $53.49
- Gem premium
- 66×
- 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 | $99.10 | +$72.60 | +$47.60 | −$52.40 |
| PSA 9 | $53.49 | +$26.99 | +$1.99 | −$98.01 |
| PSA 8 | $35.00 | +$8.50 | −$16.50 | −$117 |
Net = sale price − $1.50 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% | $64.89 | +$13.39 |
| 50% | $76.30 | +$24.80 |
| 75% | $87.70 | +$36.20 |
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 | $129 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $99.10 | −$29.90 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $59.00 | −$70.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $28.00 | −$101 | 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 Dock Ellis #71 — FAQ
Is Dock Ellis #71 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dock Ellis #71 sells for $99.10 against $1.50 raw: a $97.60 spread, 66× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($53.49) 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 Dock Ellis #71 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dock Ellis #71 (Baseball Cards 1977 Topps) sells for about $99.10 versus $1.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 66× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dock Ellis #71?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $129, ahead of PSA 10 at $99.10. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dock Ellis #71 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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