Is Troy Aikman [Refractor] #BC8 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1997 Bowman's Best Cut · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Troy Aikman [Refractor] #BC8 sell for $36.00, only $23.41 above the $12.59 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($33.00) 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)
- $12.59
- Grade 9.5
- $36.00
- PSA 9
- $33.00
- Gem premium
- 2.9×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $36.00 | −$1.59 | −$26.59 | −$127 |
| PSA 9 | $33.00 | −$4.59 | −$29.59 | −$130 |
| PSA 8 | $29.99 | −$7.60 | −$32.60 | −$133 |
Net = sale price − $12.59 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% | $33.75 | −$28.84 |
| 50% | $34.50 | −$28.09 |
| 75% | $35.25 | −$27.34 |
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 1997 Bowman's Best Cut cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![John Elway [Atomic Refractor] #BC3 1997 Bowman's Best Cut card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/cEkAAOSwa6RnqP0k/s-l500.jpg)
![Brett Favre [Atomic Refractor] #BC5 1997 Bowman's Best Cut card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/FpwAAOSwI6NioQcB/s-l500.jpg)
![Emmitt Smith [Atomic Refractor] #BC13 1997 Bowman's Best Cut card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/whgAAeSwyD9qpOxs/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Troy Aikman [Refractor] #BC8 — FAQ
Is Troy Aikman [Refractor] #BC8 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Troy Aikman [Refractor] #BC8 sell for $36.00, only $23.41 above the $12.59 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($33.00) 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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