Is Don Paul #30 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1951 Bowman · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Don Paul #30 sells for $1,549 against $4.99 raw: a $1,544 spread, 310× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($237) 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)
- $4.99
- PSA 10
- $1,549
- PSA 9
- $237
- Gem premium
- 310×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $1,549 | +$1,519 | +$1,494 | +$1,394 |
| PSA 9 | $237 | +$207 | +$182 | +$82.14 |
| PSA 8 | $76.58 | +$46.59 | +$21.59 | −$78.41 |
Net = sale price − $4.99 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% | $565 | +$510 |
| 50% | $893 | +$838 |
| 75% | $1,221 | +$1,166 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $2,014 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,549 | −$465 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $930 | −$1,084 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $930 | −$1,084 | 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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Grading Don Paul #30 — FAQ
Is Don Paul #30 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Don Paul #30 sells for $1,549 against $4.99 raw: a $1,544 spread, 310× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($237) 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 Don Paul #30 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Don Paul #30 (Football Cards 1951 Bowman) sells for about $1,549 versus $4.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 310× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Don Paul #30?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $2,014, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,549. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Don Paul #30 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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