Is Earl Balfour #3 worth grading?
Hockey · Hockey Cards 1961 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Earl Balfour #3 sells for $1,054 against $6.18 raw: a $1,048 spread, 171× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($227) 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)
- $6.18
- PSA 10
- $1,054
- PSA 9
- $227
- Gem premium
- 171×
- 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 | $1,054 | +$1,023 | +$998 | +$898 |
| PSA 9 | $227 | +$195 | +$170 | +$70.32 |
| PSA 8 | $61.00 | +$29.82 | +$4.82 | −$95.18 |
Net = sale price − $6.18 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% | $433 | +$377 |
| 50% | $640 | +$584 |
| 75% | $847 | +$791 |
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 | $1,370 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,054 | −$316 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $632 | −$738 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $632 | −$738 | 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 | $1,054 | $632 | $1,370 | $632 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $299 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $227 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $61.00 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $28.75 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1961 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Earl Balfour #3 — FAQ
Is Earl Balfour #3 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Earl Balfour #3 sells for $1,054 against $6.18 raw: a $1,048 spread, 171× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($227) 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 Earl Balfour #3 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Earl Balfour #3 (Hockey Cards 1961 Topps) sells for about $1,054 versus $6.18 for a raw near-mint copy — a 171× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Earl Balfour #3?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,370, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,054. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Earl Balfour #3 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 hockey 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.
Check my card free