Is Eli Manning #SOT-EM worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 2004 SP Authentic Sign of the Times · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A BGS 10 Eli Manning #SOT-EM sells for $528 against $202 raw: a $326 spread, 2.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($228) 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)
- $202
- BGS 10
- $528
- PSA 9
- $228
- Gem premium
- 2.6×
- 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 — BGS 10 | $528 | +$301 | +$276 | +$176 |
| PSA 9 | $228 | +$0.30 | −$24.70 | −$125 |
Net = sale price − $202 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% | $303 | +$50.41 |
| 50% | $378 | +$126 |
| 75% | $453 | +$201 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 8%. 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 | $528 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
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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Raw conditions & history →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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Full set checklist →Grading Eli Manning #SOT-EM — FAQ
Is Eli Manning #SOT-EM worth grading?
A BGS 10 Eli Manning #SOT-EM sells for $528 against $202 raw: a $326 spread, 2.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($228) 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.
What centering does Eli Manning #SOT-EM 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 Eli Manning #SOT-EM break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Eli Manning #SOT-EM breaks even when it gems about 8% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $228).
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