![Sam Darnold [Press Proof Red] #301 (Football Cards 2018 Donruss) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/MygAAeSwdi1qLzEu/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Sam Darnold [Press Proof Red] #301 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 2018 Donruss · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 8.8× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Sam Darnold [Press Proof Red] #301 sells for $133 against $14.99 raw: a $118 spread, 8.8× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.13) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $14.99
- PSA 10
- $133
- PSA 9
- $14.13
- Gem premium
- 8.8×
- 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 | $133 | +$92.51 | +$67.51 | −$32.49 |
| PSA 9 | $14.13 | −$25.86 | −$50.86 | −$151 |
| PSA 8 | $9.77 | −$30.22 | −$55.22 | −$155 |
Net = sale price − $14.99 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% | $43.72 | −$21.27 |
| 50% | $73.31 | +$8.32 |
| 75% | $103 | +$37.92 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 43%. 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 | $172 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $133 | −$39.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $80.00 | −$92.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $80.00 | −$92.00 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $133 | $80.00 | $172 | $80.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $16.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $14.13 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $9.77 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2018 Donruss cards worth checking
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![Josh Allen [Press Proof Blue] #304 2018 Donruss card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/UUwAAeSwe5tqKn9r/s-l500.jpg)
![Josh Allen [Press Proof Red] #304 2018 Donruss card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/dQMAAeSwqjNpqPdp/s-l500.jpg)
![Josh Allen [Press Proof Green] #304 2018 Donruss card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/picAAeSwYONpab5h/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Sam Darnold [Press Proof Red] #301 — FAQ
Is Sam Darnold [Press Proof Red] #301 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Sam Darnold [Press Proof Red] #301 sells for $133 against $14.99 raw: a $118 spread, 8.8× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.13) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Sam Darnold [Press Proof Red] #301 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Sam Darnold [Press Proof Red] #301 (Football Cards 2018 Donruss) sells for about $133 versus $14.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 8.8× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Sam Darnold [Press Proof Red] #301?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $172, ahead of PSA 10 at $133. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Sam Darnold [Press Proof Red] #301 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 Sam Darnold [Press Proof Red] #301 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Sam Darnold [Press Proof Red] #301 breaks even when it gems about 43% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $14.13).
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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