Is Tom Dempsey [Autograph] #AL-98 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1997 Upper Deck Legends · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Tom Dempsey [Autograph] #AL-98 sells for $428 against $15.50 raw: a $413 spread, 28× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($43.00) 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)
- $15.50
- PSA 10
- $428
- PSA 9
- $43.00
- Gem premium
- 28×
- 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 | $428 | +$388 | +$363 | +$263 |
| PSA 9 | $43.00 | +$2.50 | −$22.50 | −$123 |
| PSA 8 | $38.72 | −$1.78 | −$26.78 | −$127 |
Net = sale price − $15.50 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% | $139 | +$73.87 |
| 50% | $236 | +$170 |
| 75% | $332 | +$267 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 6%. 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 | $557 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $428 | −$129 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $257 | −$300 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $257 | −$300 | 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.
Other 1997 Upper Deck Legends cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Mike Webster [Autograph] #AL-176 1997 Upper Deck Legends card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/OcQAAOSwUGRnwNu4/s-l500.jpg)
![Mike Ditka [Autograph] #AL--29 1997 Upper Deck Legends card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/KcYAAeSweFVp3Rd7/s-l500.jpg)
![Marion Motley [Autograph] #AL-53 1997 Upper Deck Legends card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/sUgAAeSwmOBqiggN/s-l500.jpg)
![Otto Graham [Autograph] #AL-34 1997 Upper Deck Legends card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/SP0AAeSwBJhqnsqK/s-l500.jpg)
![Ken Stabler [Autograph] #AL-166 1997 Upper Deck Legends card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/YsoAAeSwINxqVWD-/s-l500.jpg)
![Johnny Unitas [Autograph] #AL-9 1997 Upper Deck Legends card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/q8YAAeSw6I1ogDkD/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Tom Dempsey [Autograph] #AL-98 — FAQ
Is Tom Dempsey [Autograph] #AL-98 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tom Dempsey [Autograph] #AL-98 sells for $428 against $15.50 raw: a $413 spread, 28× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($43.00) 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 Tom Dempsey [Autograph] #AL-98 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tom Dempsey [Autograph] #AL-98 (Football Cards 1997 Upper Deck Legends) sells for about $428 versus $15.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 28× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tom Dempsey [Autograph] #AL-98?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $557, ahead of PSA 10 at $428. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tom Dempsey [Autograph] #AL-98 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 Tom Dempsey [Autograph] #AL-98 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tom Dempsey [Autograph] #AL-98 breaks even when it gems about 6% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $43.00).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your football card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
