Is Donnie Shell [All Pro] #217 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1982 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Donnie Shell [All Pro] #217 sells for $101 against $2.81 raw: a $98.20 spread, 36× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.99) 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)
- $2.81
- PSA 10
- $101
- PSA 9
- $29.99
- Gem premium
- 36×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $101 | +$73.20 | +$48.20 | −$51.80 |
| PSA 9 | $29.99 | +$2.18 | −$22.82 | −$123 |
| PSA 8 | $20.50 | −$7.31 | −$32.31 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $2.81 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% | $47.75 | −$5.06 |
| 50% | $65.50 | +$12.69 |
| 75% | $83.26 | +$30.45 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 32%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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 | $131 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $101 | −$29.99 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $61.00 | −$70.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $61.00 | −$70.00 | 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.
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Grading Donnie Shell [All Pro] #217 — FAQ
Is Donnie Shell [All Pro] #217 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Donnie Shell [All Pro] #217 sells for $101 against $2.81 raw: a $98.20 spread, 36× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.99) 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 Donnie Shell [All Pro] #217 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Donnie Shell [All Pro] #217 (Football Cards 1982 Topps) sells for about $101 versus $2.81 for a raw near-mint copy — a 36× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Donnie Shell [All Pro] #217?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $131, ahead of PSA 10 at $101. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Donnie Shell [All Pro] #217 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.
What gem rate makes grading Donnie Shell [All Pro] #217 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Donnie Shell [All Pro] #217 breaks even when it gems about 32% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $29.99).
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