Is Marion Motley #9 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1953 Bowman · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Marion Motley #9 sells for $9,866 against $39.00 raw: a $9,827 spread, 253× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,482) 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)
- $39.00
- PSA 10
- $9,866
- PSA 9
- $1,482
- Gem premium
- 253×
- 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 | $9,866 | +$9,802 | +$9,777 | +$9,677 |
| PSA 9 | $1,482 | +$1,418 | +$1,393 | +$1,293 |
| PSA 8 | $1,441 | +$1,377 | +$1,352 | +$1,252 |
Net = sale price − $39.00 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% | $3,578 | +$3,489 |
| 50% | $5,674 | +$5,585 |
| 75% | $7,770 | +$7,681 |
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 | $12,826 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $9,866 | −$2,960 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $5,920 | −$6,906 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $5,920 | −$6,906 | 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 Marion Motley #9 — FAQ
Is Marion Motley #9 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Marion Motley #9 sells for $9,866 against $39.00 raw: a $9,827 spread, 253× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,482) 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 Marion Motley #9 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Marion Motley #9 (Football Cards 1953 Bowman) sells for about $9,866 versus $39.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 253× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Marion Motley #9?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $12,826, ahead of PSA 10 at $9,866. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Marion Motley #9 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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