Is Drew Brees #DT-21 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 2021 Panini Donruss Optic Downtown · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Drew Brees #DT-21 sells for $915 against $529 raw: a $386 spread, 1.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($600) 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)
- $529
- PSA 10
- $915
- PSA 9
- $600
- Gem premium
- 1.7×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $915 | +$361 | +$336 | +$236 |
| PSA 9 | $600 | +$45.93 | +$20.93 | −$79.07 |
| PSA 8 | $431 | −$123 | −$148 | −$248 |
Net = sale price − $529 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% | $679 | +$99.68 |
| 50% | $758 | +$178 |
| 75% | $836 | +$257 |
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 | $1,190 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $915 | −$275 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $650 | −$540 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $512 | −$678 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2021 Panini Donruss Optic Downtown cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Tom Brady [Black Pandora] #DT-23 2021 Panini Donruss Optic Downtown card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/s88AAeSwkN9qXusM/s-l500.jpg)
![Saquon Barkley [Gold] #DT-6 2021 Panini Donruss Optic Downtown card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/UcoAAeSw1~NqeetA/s-l500.jpg)
![Trevor Lawrence [Black Pandora] #DT-33 2021 Panini Donruss Optic Downtown card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/lLQAAeSwRido5p8X/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Drew Brees #DT-21 — FAQ
Is Drew Brees #DT-21 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Drew Brees #DT-21 sells for $915 against $529 raw: a $386 spread, 1.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($600) 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 Drew Brees #DT-21 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Drew Brees #DT-21 (Football Cards 2021 Panini Donruss Optic Downtown) sells for about $915 versus $529 for a raw near-mint copy — a 1.7× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Drew Brees #DT-21?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,190, ahead of PSA 10 at $915. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Drew Brees #DT-21 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.
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