Is Tom Brady #TC121 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 2008 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Tom Brady #TC121 sells for $159 against $9.97 raw: a $149 spread, 16× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($41.00) 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)
- $9.97
- PSA 10
- $159
- PSA 9
- $41.00
- Gem premium
- 16×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | +$124 | +$99.03 | −$0.97 |
| PSA 9 | $41.00 | +$6.03 | −$18.97 | −$119 |
| PSA 8 | $29.98 | −$4.99 | −$29.99 | −$130 |
Net = sale price − $9.97 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% | $70.50 | +$10.53 |
| 50% | $100 | +$40.03 |
| 75% | $130 | +$69.53 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 16%. 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 | −$48.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $95.00 | −$112 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $41.00 | −$166 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $159 | $95.00 | $207 | $41.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $45.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $41.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $29.98 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $11.99 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2008 Topps Chrome cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Tom Brady [Refractor] #TC121 2008 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/f08AAeSwVDJqUyP1/s-l500.jpg)
![Tom Brady [Xfractor] #TC163 2008 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/1w0AAeSwlQtqLOgN/s-l500.jpg)
![Tom Brady [Refractor] #TC3 2008 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/qUkAAeSwcyhqTcAP/s-l500.jpg)
![Tom Brady [Gold Refractor] #TC121 2008 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/e8wAAOSwC2xlEDSY/s-l500.jpg)
![Tom Brady [Gold Refractor] #TC163 2008 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/SIQAAeSwro9qTtTo/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Tom Brady #TC121 — FAQ
Is Tom Brady #TC121 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tom Brady #TC121 sells for $159 against $9.97 raw: a $149 spread, 16× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($41.00) 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 Brady #TC121 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tom Brady #TC121 (Football Cards 2008 Topps Chrome) sells for about $159 versus $9.97 for a raw near-mint copy — a 16× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tom Brady #TC121?
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 Tom Brady #TC121 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 Brady #TC121 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tom Brady #TC121 breaks even when it gems about 16% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $41.00).
Is your football card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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