Is Bob Lacey #481 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1981 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 53× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Bob Lacey #481 sells for $52.92 against $0.99 raw: a $51.93 spread, 53× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $0.99
- PSA 10
- $52.92
- PSA 9
- $14.00
- Gem premium
- 53×
- As of
- Sep 2, 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 | $52.92 | +$26.93 | +$1.93 | −$98.07 |
| PSA 9 | $14.00 | −$11.99 | −$36.99 | −$137 |
| PSA 8 | $13.00 | −$12.99 | −$37.99 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $0.99 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% | $23.73 | −$27.26 |
| 50% | $33.46 | −$17.53 |
| 75% | $43.19 | −$7.80 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 95%. 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 | $69.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $52.92 | −$16.08 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $32.00 | −$37.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $32.00 | −$37.00 | 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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Full set checklist →Grading Bob Lacey #481 — FAQ
Is Bob Lacey #481 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Bob Lacey #481 sells for $52.92 against $0.99 raw: a $51.93 spread, 53× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Bob Lacey #481 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Bob Lacey #481 (Baseball Cards 1981 Topps) sells for about $52.92 versus $0.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 53× premium as of Sep 2, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Bob Lacey #481?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $69.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $52.92. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Bob Lacey #481 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 Bob Lacey #481 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Bob Lacey #481 breaks even when it gems about 95% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $14.00).
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