
Is Anthony Carter #297 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1986 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 877× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Anthony Carter #297 sells for $1,412 against $1.61 raw: a $1,410 spread, 877× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($26.42) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.61
- PSA 10
- $1,412
- PSA 9
- $26.42
- Gem premium
- 877×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $1,412 | +$1,385 | +$1,360 | +$1,260 |
| PSA 9 | $26.42 | −$0.19 | −$25.19 | −$125 |
| PSA 8 | $23.25 | −$3.36 | −$28.36 | −$128 |
Net = sale price − $1.61 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% | $373 | +$321 |
| 50% | $719 | +$668 |
| 75% | $1,065 | +$1,014 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 2%. 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 | $1,835 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,412 | −$423 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $847 | −$988 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $847 | −$988 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1986 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Anthony Carter #297 — FAQ
Is Anthony Carter #297 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Anthony Carter #297 sells for $1,412 against $1.61 raw: a $1,410 spread, 877× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($26.42) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Anthony Carter #297 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Anthony Carter #297 (Football Cards 1986 Topps) sells for about $1,412 versus $1.61 for a raw near-mint copy — a 877× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Anthony Carter #297?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,835, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,412. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Anthony Carter #297 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 Anthony Carter #297 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Anthony Carter #297 breaks even when it gems about 2% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $26.42).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your football card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.





