![Eli Manning [Gold Refractor] #3 (Football Cards 2009 Bowman Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/skUAAeSwAbdqT8sR/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Eli Manning [Gold Refractor] #3 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 2009 Bowman Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Eli Manning [Gold Refractor] #3 sells for $199 against $59.57 raw: a $139 spread, 3.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($118) 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)
- $59.57
- PSA 10
- $199
- PSA 9
- $118
- Gem premium
- 3.3×
- 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 | $199 | +$114 | +$88.96 | −$11.04 |
| PSA 9 | $118 | +$33.18 | +$8.18 | −$91.82 |
Net = sale price − $59.57 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% | $138 | +$28.38 |
| 50% | $158 | +$48.57 |
| 75% | $178 | +$68.77 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $258 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $199 | −$59.47 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $119 | −$139 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $119 | −$139 | 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 | $199 | $119 | $258 | $119 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $130 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $118 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2009 Bowman Chrome cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Reggie Bush [Orange Refractor] #61 2009 Bowman Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/WswAAOSwjARj6Fbz/s-l500.jpg)
![Aaron Rodgers [Gold Refractor] #6 2009 Bowman Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/hpoAAOSwk5tmuRic/s-l500.jpg)
![Matthew Stafford [Xfractor] #111 2009 Bowman Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/5ccAAeSwocVpZXQS/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Eli Manning [Gold Refractor] #3 — FAQ
Is Eli Manning [Gold Refractor] #3 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Eli Manning [Gold Refractor] #3 sells for $199 against $59.57 raw: a $139 spread, 3.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($118) 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 Eli Manning [Gold Refractor] #3 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Eli Manning [Gold Refractor] #3 (Football Cards 2009 Bowman Chrome) sells for about $199 versus $59.57 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3.3× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Eli Manning [Gold Refractor] #3?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $258, ahead of PSA 10 at $199. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Eli Manning [Gold Refractor] #3 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.
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.
Check my card free