Is Sam Darnold [Black Galaxy] #8 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 2025 Panini Absolute · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Sam Darnold [Black Galaxy] #8 sells for $605 against $120 raw: a $485 spread, 5.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($550) 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)
- $120
- Grade 9.5
- $605
- PSA 9
- $550
- Gem premium
- 5.0×
- 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 | $605 | +$460 | +$435 | +$335 |
| PSA 9 | $550 | +$405 | +$380 | +$280 |
Net = sale price − $120 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% | $564 | +$394 |
| 50% | $578 | +$408 |
| 75% | $591 | +$421 |
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 Sam Darnold [Black Galaxy] #8 — FAQ
Is Sam Darnold [Black Galaxy] #8 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Sam Darnold [Black Galaxy] #8 sells for $605 against $120 raw: a $485 spread, 5.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($550) 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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