Is Leo Nomellini #21 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1981 TCMA Greats · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Leo Nomellini #21 sells for $116 against $1.63 raw: a $114 spread, 71× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($105) 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)
- $1.63
- Grade 9.5
- $116
- PSA 9
- $105
- Gem premium
- 71×
- 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 | $116 | +$89.37 | +$64.37 | −$35.63 |
| PSA 9 | $105 | +$78.37 | +$53.37 | −$46.63 |
| PSA 8 | $10.84 | −$15.79 | −$40.79 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $1.63 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% | $108 | +$56.12 |
| 50% | $111 | +$58.87 |
| 75% | $113 | +$61.62 |
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 Leo Nomellini #21 — FAQ
Is Leo Nomellini #21 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Leo Nomellini #21 sells for $116 against $1.63 raw: a $114 spread, 71× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($105) 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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