Is Emmitt Smith #53 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1995 Fleer Metal · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Emmitt Smith #53 sells for $53.00 against $2.62 raw: a $50.38 spread, 20× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($48.21) 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)
- $2.62
- Grade 9.5
- $53.00
- PSA 9
- $48.21
- Gem premium
- 20×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $53.00 | +$25.38 | +$0.38 | −$99.62 |
| PSA 9 | $48.21 | +$20.59 | −$4.41 | −$104 |
| PSA 8 | $4.25 | −$23.37 | −$48.37 | −$148 |
Net = sale price − $2.62 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% | $49.41 | −$3.21 |
| 50% | $50.61 | −$2.01 |
| 75% | $51.80 | −$0.82 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 92%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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Grading Emmitt Smith #53 — FAQ
Is Emmitt Smith #53 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Emmitt Smith #53 sells for $53.00 against $2.62 raw: a $50.38 spread, 20× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($48.21) 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 gem rate makes grading Emmitt Smith #53 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Emmitt Smith #53 breaks even when it gems about 92% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $48.21).
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