Is Tom Underwood #531 worth grading?
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Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Tom Underwood #531 sells for $150 against $1.34 raw: a $149 spread, 112× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($37.99) 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)
- $1.34
- PSA 10
- $150
- PSA 9
- $37.99
- Gem premium
- 112×
- 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 | $150 | +$124 | +$99.14 | −$0.86 |
| PSA 9 | $37.99 | +$11.65 | −$13.35 | −$113 |
| PSA 8 | $16.95 | −$9.39 | −$34.39 | −$134 |
Net = sale price − $1.34 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% | $66.11 | +$14.77 |
| 50% | $94.23 | +$42.89 |
| 75% | $122 | +$71.02 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 12%. 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 | $196 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $150 | −$45.52 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $90.00 | −$106 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $90.00 | −$106 | 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 Tom Underwood #531 — FAQ
Is Tom Underwood #531 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tom Underwood #531 sells for $150 against $1.34 raw: a $149 spread, 112× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($37.99) 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 Tom Underwood #531 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tom Underwood #531 (Baseball Cards 1978 Topps) sells for about $150 versus $1.34 for a raw near-mint copy — a 112× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tom Underwood #531?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $196, ahead of PSA 10 at $150. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tom Underwood #531 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 Tom Underwood #531 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tom Underwood #531 breaks even when it gems about 12% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $37.99).
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