Is 1978 Rookie First Basemen #706 worth grading?
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Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 1978 Rookie First Basemen #706 sells for $269 against $1.59 raw: a $267 spread, 169× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($38.00) 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)
- $1.59
- PSA 10
- $269
- PSA 9
- $38.00
- Gem premium
- 169×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $269 | +$242 | +$217 | +$117 |
| PSA 9 | $38.00 | +$11.41 | −$13.59 | −$114 |
| PSA 8 | $11.95 | −$14.64 | −$39.64 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $1.59 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% | $95.75 | +$44.16 |
| 50% | $154 | +$102 |
| 75% | $211 | +$160 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 6%. 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 | $350 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $269 | −$81.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $161 | −$189 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $161 | −$189 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $269 | $161 | $350 | $161 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $58.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $38.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $11.95 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $3.99 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading 1978 Rookie First Basemen #706 — FAQ
Is 1978 Rookie First Basemen #706 worth grading?
A PSA 10 1978 Rookie First Basemen #706 sells for $269 against $1.59 raw: a $267 spread, 169× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($38.00) 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 1978 Rookie First Basemen #706 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 1978 Rookie First Basemen #706 (Baseball Cards 1978 Topps) sells for about $269 versus $1.59 for a raw near-mint copy — a 169× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for 1978 Rookie First Basemen #706?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $350, ahead of PSA 10 at $269. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does 1978 Rookie First Basemen #706 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 1978 Rookie First Basemen #706 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting 1978 Rookie First Basemen #706 breaks even when it gems about 6% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $38.00).
Is your baseball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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