Is Phil Niekro #40 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1985 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading only if it gems
A PSA 10 Phil Niekro #40 brings $36.94 versus $1.51 raw — a $35.43 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($17.49) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.51
- PSA 10
- $36.94
- PSA 9
- $17.49
- Gem premium
- 24×
- 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 | $36.94 | +$10.43 | −$14.57 | −$115 |
| PSA 9 | $17.49 | −$9.02 | −$34.02 | −$134 |
| PSA 8 | $11.67 | −$14.84 | −$39.84 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $1.51 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% | $22.35 | −$29.16 |
| 50% | $27.21 | −$24.30 |
| 75% | $32.08 | −$19.43 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $48.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $36.94 | −$11.06 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $22.00 | −$26.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $22.00 | −$26.00 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $36.94 | $22.00 | $48.00 | $22.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $36.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $17.49 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $11.67 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $7.76 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Phil Niekro #40 — FAQ
Is Phil Niekro #40 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Phil Niekro #40 brings $36.94 versus $1.51 raw — a $35.43 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($17.49) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
How much is a PSA 10 Phil Niekro #40 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Phil Niekro #40 (Baseball Cards 1985 Topps) sells for about $36.94 versus $1.51 for a raw near-mint copy — a 24× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Phil Niekro #40?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $48.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $36.94. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Phil Niekro #40 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.
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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