Is Brian Cushing [Rookie Variation] #149 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 2009 Topps Platinum · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 17× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Brian Cushing [Rookie Variation] #149 sells for $42.90 against $2.56 raw: a $40.34 spread, 17× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($13.85) 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)
- $2.56
- PSA 10
- $42.90
- PSA 9
- $13.85
- Gem premium
- 17×
- As of
- Sep 2, 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 | $42.90 | +$15.34 | −$9.66 | −$110 |
| PSA 9 | $13.85 | −$13.71 | −$38.71 | −$139 |
| PSA 8 | $7.61 | −$19.95 | −$44.95 | −$145 |
Net = sale price − $2.56 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% | $21.11 | −$31.45 |
| 50% | $28.38 | −$24.18 |
| 75% | $35.64 | −$16.92 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $56.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $42.90 | −$13.10 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $26.00 | −$30.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $26.00 | −$30.00 | 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.
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Full set checklist →Grading Brian Cushing [Rookie Variation] #149 — FAQ
Is Brian Cushing [Rookie Variation] #149 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Brian Cushing [Rookie Variation] #149 sells for $42.90 against $2.56 raw: a $40.34 spread, 17× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($13.85) 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 Brian Cushing [Rookie Variation] #149 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Brian Cushing [Rookie Variation] #149 (Football Cards 2009 Topps Platinum) sells for about $42.90 versus $2.56 for a raw near-mint copy — a 17× premium as of Sep 2, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Brian Cushing [Rookie Variation] #149?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $56.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $42.90. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Brian Cushing [Rookie Variation] #149 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.
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