Is J.J. McCarthy [Dragon] #9 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 2025 Panini Donruss Optic Play Action · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 J.J. McCarthy [Dragon] #9 sells for $159 against $30.00 raw: a $129 spread, 5.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($56.09) 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)
- $30.00
- PSA 10
- $159
- PSA 9
- $56.09
- Gem premium
- 5.3×
- As of
- Sep 4, 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 | $159 | +$104 | +$79.38 | −$20.62 |
| PSA 9 | $56.09 | +$1.09 | −$23.91 | −$124 |
| PSA 8 | $31.78 | −$23.22 | −$48.22 | −$148 |
Net = sale price − $30.00 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% | $81.91 | +$1.91 |
| 50% | $108 | +$27.73 |
| 75% | $134 | +$53.56 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 23%. 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 | $207 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $159 | −$47.62 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $96.00 | −$111 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $96.00 | −$111 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading J.J. McCarthy [Dragon] #9 — FAQ
Is J.J. McCarthy [Dragon] #9 worth grading?
A PSA 10 J.J. McCarthy [Dragon] #9 sells for $159 against $30.00 raw: a $129 spread, 5.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($56.09) 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 J.J. McCarthy [Dragon] #9 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 J.J. McCarthy [Dragon] #9 (Football Cards 2025 Panini Donruss Optic Play Action) sells for about $159 versus $30.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.3× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for J.J. McCarthy [Dragon] #9?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $207, ahead of PSA 10 at $159. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does J.J. McCarthy [Dragon] #9 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 J.J. McCarthy [Dragon] #9 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting J.J. McCarthy [Dragon] #9 breaks even when it gems about 23% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $56.09).
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