Is Tom Brady #1 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 2018 Donruss Optic MVP · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Tom Brady #1 sells for $218 against $130 raw: a $87.62 spread, 1.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($193) 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)
- $130
- PSA 10
- $218
- PSA 9
- $193
- Gem premium
- 1.7×
- 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 | $218 | +$62.62 | +$37.62 | −$62.38 |
| PSA 9 | $193 | +$38.00 | +$13.00 | −$87.00 |
| PSA 8 | $175 | +$20.16 | −$4.84 | −$105 |
Net = sale price − $130 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% | $199 | +$19.16 |
| 50% | $205 | +$25.31 |
| 75% | $211 | +$31.47 |
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 | $283 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $218 | −$65.38 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $131 | −$152 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $131 | −$152 | 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 | $218 | $131 | $283 | $131 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $213 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $193 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $175 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Grading Tom Brady #1 — FAQ
Is Tom Brady #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tom Brady #1 sells for $218 against $130 raw: a $87.62 spread, 1.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($193) 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 #1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tom Brady #1 (Football Cards 2018 Donruss Optic MVP) sells for about $218 versus $130 for a raw near-mint copy — a 1.7× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tom Brady #1?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $283, ahead of PSA 10 at $218. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tom Brady #1 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.
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