Is Raymond Chester #456 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1974 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Raymond Chester #456 sells for $198 against $1.58 raw: a $197 spread, 125× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($43.25) 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)
- $1.58
- PSA 10
- $198
- PSA 9
- $43.25
- Gem premium
- 125×
- 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 | $198 | +$172 | +$147 | +$46.63 |
| PSA 9 | $43.25 | +$16.67 | −$8.33 | −$108 |
| PSA 8 | $12.49 | −$14.09 | −$39.09 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $1.58 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% | $81.99 | +$30.41 |
| 50% | $121 | +$69.15 |
| 75% | $159 | +$108 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 5%. 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 | $258 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $198 | −$59.79 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $119 | −$139 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $119 | −$139 | 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 Raymond Chester #456 — FAQ
Is Raymond Chester #456 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Raymond Chester #456 sells for $198 against $1.58 raw: a $197 spread, 125× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($43.25) 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 Raymond Chester #456 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Raymond Chester #456 (Football Cards 1974 Topps) sells for about $198 versus $1.58 for a raw near-mint copy — a 125× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Raymond Chester #456?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $258, ahead of PSA 10 at $198. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Raymond Chester #456 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 Raymond Chester #456 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Raymond Chester #456 breaks even when it gems about 5% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $43.25).
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