Is Horace Gillom #40 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1953 Bowman · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Horace Gillom #40 sells for $1,848 against $6.38 raw: a $1,842 spread, 290× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,540) 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)
- $6.38
- PSA 10
- $1,848
- PSA 9
- $1,540
- Gem premium
- 290×
- 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 | $1,848 | +$1,817 | +$1,792 | +$1,692 |
| PSA 9 | $1,540 | +$1,509 | +$1,484 | +$1,384 |
| PSA 8 | $1,400 | +$1,369 | +$1,344 | +$1,244 |
Net = sale price − $6.38 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% | $1,617 | +$1,561 |
| 50% | $1,694 | +$1,638 |
| 75% | $1,771 | +$1,715 |
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 | $2,402 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,848 | −$554 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,109 | −$1,293 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,109 | −$1,293 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1953 Bowman cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Horace Gillom #40 — FAQ
Is Horace Gillom #40 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Horace Gillom #40 sells for $1,848 against $6.38 raw: a $1,842 spread, 290× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,540) 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 Horace Gillom #40 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Horace Gillom #40 (Football Cards 1953 Bowman) sells for about $1,848 versus $6.38 for a raw near-mint copy — a 290× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Horace Gillom #40?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $2,402, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,848. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Horace Gillom #40 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.
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your football card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
