Is Dave Brown [Refractor] #51 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1997 Topps Finest · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 56× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Dave Brown [Refractor] #51 sells for $55.45 against $0.99 raw: a $54.46 spread, 56× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.42) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $0.99
- PSA 10
- $55.45
- PSA 9
- $14.42
- Gem premium
- 56×
- 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 | $55.45 | +$29.46 | +$4.46 | −$95.54 |
| PSA 9 | $14.42 | −$11.57 | −$36.57 | −$137 |
| PSA 8 | $7.15 | −$18.84 | −$43.84 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $0.99 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% | $24.68 | −$26.31 |
| 50% | $34.94 | −$16.05 |
| 75% | $45.19 | −$5.80 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 89%. 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 | $72.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $55.45 | −$16.55 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $33.00 | −$39.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $33.00 | −$39.00 | 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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Other 1997 Topps Finest cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Deion Sanders [Refractor] #90 1997 Topps Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/3PMAAeSwm5Bp~sLN/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Dave Brown [Refractor] #51 — FAQ
Is Dave Brown [Refractor] #51 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dave Brown [Refractor] #51 sells for $55.45 against $0.99 raw: a $54.46 spread, 56× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.42) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Dave Brown [Refractor] #51 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dave Brown [Refractor] #51 (Football Cards 1997 Topps Finest) sells for about $55.45 versus $0.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 56× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dave Brown [Refractor] #51?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $72.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $55.45. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dave Brown [Refractor] #51 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 Dave Brown [Refractor] #51 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Dave Brown [Refractor] #51 breaks even when it gems about 89% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $14.42).
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