Is Merlin Olsen worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1964 Wheaties Stamps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Merlin Olsen sells for $158 against $17.61 raw: a $140 spread, 9.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($143) 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)
- $17.61
- Grade 9.5
- $158
- PSA 9
- $143
- Gem premium
- 9.0×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $158 | +$115 | +$90.39 | −$9.61 |
| PSA 9 | $143 | +$101 | +$75.64 | −$24.36 |
| PSA 8 | $106 | +$63.39 | +$38.39 | −$61.61 |
Net = sale price − $17.61 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% | $147 | +$79.33 |
| 50% | $151 | +$83.01 |
| 75% | $154 | +$86.70 |
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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Grading Merlin Olsen — FAQ
Is Merlin Olsen worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Merlin Olsen sells for $158 against $17.61 raw: a $140 spread, 9.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($143) 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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