Is Jim Brown #38 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 2001 Topps Archives Reserve · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Jim Brown #38 sells for $89.00 against $10.00 raw: a $79.00 spread, 8.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($50.00) 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)
- $10.00
- PSA 10
- $89.00
- PSA 9
- $50.00
- Gem premium
- 8.9×
- 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 | $89.00 | +$54.00 | +$29.00 | −$71.00 |
| PSA 9 | $50.00 | +$15.00 | −$10.00 | −$110 |
| PSA 8 | $45.10 | +$10.10 | −$14.90 | −$115 |
Net = sale price − $10.00 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% | $59.75 | −$0.25 |
| 50% | $69.50 | +$9.50 |
| 75% | $79.25 | +$19.25 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 26%. 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 | $116 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $89.00 | −$27.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $53.00 | −$63.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $53.00 | −$63.00 | 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 | $89.00 | $53.00 | $116 | $53.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $68.35 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $50.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $45.10 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other 2001 Topps Archives Reserve cards worth checking
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Grading Jim Brown #38 — FAQ
Is Jim Brown #38 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Jim Brown #38 sells for $89.00 against $10.00 raw: a $79.00 spread, 8.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($50.00) 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 Jim Brown #38 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Jim Brown #38 (Football Cards 2001 Topps Archives Reserve) sells for about $89.00 versus $10.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 8.9× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Jim Brown #38?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $116, ahead of PSA 10 at $89.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Jim Brown #38 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 Jim Brown #38 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Jim Brown #38 breaks even when it gems about 26% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $50.00).
Is your football 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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