![Rickey Henderson [Gray Back] #261 (Baseball Cards 1981 O Pee Chee) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/jwgAAeSwlYhqVwXo/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Rickey Henderson [Gray Back] #261 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1981 O Pee Chee · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Rickey Henderson [Gray Back] #261 sells for $4,178 against $28.29 raw: a $4,150 spread, 148× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($3,482) 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)
- $28.29
- PSA 10
- $4,178
- PSA 9
- $3,482
- Gem premium
- 148×
- 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 | $4,178 | +$4,125 | +$4,100 | +$4,000 |
| PSA 9 | $3,482 | +$3,428 | +$3,403 | +$3,303 |
| PSA 8 | $384 | +$331 | +$306 | +$206 |
Net = sale price − $28.29 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% | $3,656 | +$3,577 |
| 50% | $3,830 | +$3,751 |
| 75% | $4,004 | +$3,926 |
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 | $5,431 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $4,178 | −$1,253 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $2,507 | −$2,924 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $2,507 | −$2,924 | 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 Rickey Henderson [Gray Back] #261 — FAQ
Is Rickey Henderson [Gray Back] #261 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Rickey Henderson [Gray Back] #261 sells for $4,178 against $28.29 raw: a $4,150 spread, 148× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($3,482) 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 Rickey Henderson [Gray Back] #261 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Rickey Henderson [Gray Back] #261 (Baseball Cards 1981 O Pee Chee) sells for about $4,178 versus $28.29 for a raw near-mint copy — a 148× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Rickey Henderson [Gray Back] #261?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $5,431, ahead of PSA 10 at $4,178. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Rickey Henderson [Gray Back] #261 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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