Is Tommy McDonald #31 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1981 TCMA Greats · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Tommy McDonald #31 sell for $10.00, only $8.21 above the $1.79 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($9.49) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.79
- Grade 9.5
- $10.00
- PSA 9
- $9.49
- Gem premium
- 5.6×
- 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 | $10.00 | −$16.79 | −$41.79 | −$142 |
| PSA 9 | $9.49 | −$17.30 | −$42.30 | −$142 |
Net = sale price − $1.79 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% | $9.62 | −$42.17 |
| 50% | $9.75 | −$42.05 |
| 75% | $9.87 | −$41.92 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Other 1981 TCMA Greats cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Tommy McDonald #31 — FAQ
Is Tommy McDonald #31 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Tommy McDonald #31 sell for $10.00, only $8.21 above the $1.79 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($9.49) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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