Is Ellis Valentine #19 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1978 Kellogg's · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ellis Valentine #19 sells for $115 against $1.40 raw: a $113 spread, 82× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.35) 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)
- $1.40
- PSA 10
- $115
- PSA 9
- $29.35
- Gem premium
- 82×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $115 | +$88.10 | +$63.10 | −$36.90 |
| PSA 9 | $29.35 | +$2.95 | −$22.05 | −$122 |
| PSA 8 | $12.91 | −$13.49 | −$38.49 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $1.40 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% | $50.64 | −$0.76 |
| 50% | $71.92 | +$20.52 |
| 75% | $93.21 | +$41.81 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 26%. 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 | $149 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $115 | −$34.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $69.00 | −$80.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $69.00 | −$80.00 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1978 Kellogg's cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Ellis Valentine #19 — FAQ
Is Ellis Valentine #19 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ellis Valentine #19 sells for $115 against $1.40 raw: a $113 spread, 82× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.35) 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 Ellis Valentine #19 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ellis Valentine #19 (Baseball Cards 1978 Kellogg's) sells for about $115 versus $1.40 for a raw near-mint copy — a 82× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ellis Valentine #19?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $149, ahead of PSA 10 at $115. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ellis Valentine #19 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 Ellis Valentine #19 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ellis Valentine #19 breaks even when it gems about 26% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $29.35).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your baseball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
