Is John Carson #47 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1958 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 John Carson #47 sells for $1,221 against $2.34 raw: a $1,219 spread, 522× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,110) 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)
- $2.34
- Grade 9.5
- $1,221
- PSA 9
- $1,110
- Gem premium
- 522×
- As of
- Sep 4, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — Grade 9.5 | $1,221 | +$1,194 | +$1,169 | +$1,069 |
| PSA 9 | $1,110 | +$1,083 | +$1,058 | +$958 |
| PSA 8 | $62.50 | +$35.16 | +$10.16 | −$89.84 |
Net = sale price − $2.34 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% | $1,138 | +$1,085 |
| 50% | $1,166 | +$1,113 |
| 75% | $1,193 | +$1,141 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading John Carson #47 — FAQ
Is John Carson #47 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 John Carson #47 sells for $1,221 against $2.34 raw: a $1,219 spread, 522× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,110) 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.
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