Is J.R. Richard #470 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1978 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 J.R. Richard #470 sells for $92.00 against $1.97 raw: a $90.03 spread, 47× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.99) 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)
- $1.97
- PSA 10
- $92.00
- PSA 9
- $29.99
- Gem premium
- 47×
- 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 | $92.00 | +$65.03 | +$40.03 | −$59.97 |
| PSA 9 | $29.99 | +$3.02 | −$21.98 | −$122 |
| PSA 8 | $11.77 | −$15.20 | −$40.20 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $1.97 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% | $45.49 | −$6.48 |
| 50% | $60.99 | +$9.02 |
| 75% | $76.50 | +$24.53 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 35%. 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 | $120 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $92.00 | −$28.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $55.00 | −$65.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $55.00 | −$65.00 | 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.
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Grading J.R. Richard #470 — FAQ
Is J.R. Richard #470 worth grading?
A PSA 10 J.R. Richard #470 sells for $92.00 against $1.97 raw: a $90.03 spread, 47× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.99) 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 J.R. Richard #470 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 J.R. Richard #470 (Baseball Cards 1978 Topps) sells for about $92.00 versus $1.97 for a raw near-mint copy — a 47× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for J.R. Richard #470?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $120, ahead of PSA 10 at $92.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does J.R. Richard #470 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 J.R. Richard #470 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting J.R. Richard #470 breaks even when it gems about 35% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $29.99).
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