Is Ellis Valentine #15 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1982 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ellis Valentine #15 sells for $162 against $1.81 raw: a $160 spread, 90× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.57) 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)
- $1.81
- PSA 10
- $162
- PSA 9
- $30.57
- Gem premium
- 90×
- 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 | $162 | +$135 | +$110 | +$10.45 |
| PSA 9 | $30.57 | +$3.76 | −$21.24 | −$121 |
| PSA 8 | $13.59 | −$13.22 | −$38.22 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $1.81 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% | $63.49 | +$11.68 |
| 50% | $96.41 | +$44.60 |
| 75% | $129 | +$77.53 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 16%. 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 | $211 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $162 | −$48.74 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $97.00 | −$114 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $97.00 | −$114 | 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 Ellis Valentine #15 — FAQ
Is Ellis Valentine #15 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ellis Valentine #15 sells for $162 against $1.81 raw: a $160 spread, 90× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.57) 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 Ellis Valentine #15 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ellis Valentine #15 (Baseball Cards 1982 Topps) sells for about $162 versus $1.81 for a raw near-mint copy — a 90× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ellis Valentine #15?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $211, ahead of PSA 10 at $162. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ellis Valentine #15 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 Ellis Valentine #15 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ellis Valentine #15 breaks even when it gems about 16% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $30.57).
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