Is Mike Nelms #188 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1985 Topps · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Mike Nelms #188 sell for $21.00, only $19.75 above the $1.25 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($19.53) 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)
- $1.25
- Grade 9.5
- $21.00
- PSA 9
- $19.53
- Gem premium
- 17×
- 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 | $21.00 | −$5.25 | −$30.25 | −$130 |
| PSA 9 | $19.53 | −$6.72 | −$31.72 | −$132 |
| PSA 8 | $4.11 | −$22.14 | −$47.14 | −$147 |
Net = sale price − $1.25 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% | $19.90 | −$31.35 |
| 50% | $20.27 | −$30.98 |
| 75% | $20.63 | −$30.62 |
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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Grading Mike Nelms #188 — FAQ
Is Mike Nelms #188 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Mike Nelms #188 sell for $21.00, only $19.75 above the $1.25 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($19.53) 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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