Is Elbert Nickel #18 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1953 Bowman · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Elbert Nickel #18 sells for $1,205 against $5.02 raw: a $1,200 spread, 240× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($186) 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)
- $5.02
- PSA 10
- $1,205
- PSA 9
- $186
- Gem premium
- 240×
- 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 | $1,205 | +$1,175 | +$1,150 | +$1,050 |
| PSA 9 | $186 | +$156 | +$131 | +$30.81 |
| PSA 8 | $150 | +$120 | +$94.98 | −$5.02 |
Net = sale price − $5.02 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% | $441 | +$386 |
| 50% | $695 | +$640 |
| 75% | $950 | +$895 |
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 | $1,567 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,205 | −$362 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $723 | −$844 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $723 | −$844 | 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 | $1,205 | $723 | $1,567 | $723 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $341 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $186 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $150 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $65.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Grading Elbert Nickel #18 — FAQ
Is Elbert Nickel #18 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Elbert Nickel #18 sells for $1,205 against $5.02 raw: a $1,200 spread, 240× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($186) 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 Elbert Nickel #18 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Elbert Nickel #18 (Football Cards 1953 Bowman) sells for about $1,205 versus $5.02 for a raw near-mint copy — a 240× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Elbert Nickel #18?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,567, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,205. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Elbert Nickel #18 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.
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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