Is Lou Michaels #18 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1959 Bell Brand Rams · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Lou Michaels #18 sells for $323 against $11.15 raw: a $312 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($294) 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)
- $11.15
- Grade 9.5
- $323
- PSA 9
- $294
- Gem premium
- 29×
- 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 | $323 | +$287 | +$262 | +$162 |
| PSA 9 | $294 | +$258 | +$233 | +$133 |
Net = sale price − $11.15 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% | $301 | +$240 |
| 50% | $309 | +$247 |
| 75% | $316 | +$255 |
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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Other 1959 Bell Brand Rams cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Lou Michaels #18 — FAQ
Is Lou Michaels #18 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Lou Michaels #18 sells for $323 against $11.15 raw: a $312 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($294) 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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