Is Curtis Martin #8 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1996 Fleer Metal Molten · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Curtis Martin #8 sells for $311 against $10.62 raw: a $300 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($58.07) 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)
- $10.62
- PSA 10
- $311
- PSA 9
- $58.07
- Gem premium
- 29×
- 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 | $311 | +$275 | +$250 | +$150 |
| PSA 9 | $58.07 | +$22.45 | −$2.55 | −$103 |
| PSA 8 | $9.06 | −$26.56 | −$51.56 | −$152 |
Net = sale price − $10.62 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% | $121 | +$60.68 |
| 50% | $185 | +$124 |
| 75% | $248 | +$187 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. 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 | $404 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $311 | −$93.03 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $187 | −$217 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $187 | −$217 | 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.
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Grading Curtis Martin #8 — FAQ
Is Curtis Martin #8 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Curtis Martin #8 sells for $311 against $10.62 raw: a $300 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($58.07) 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 Curtis Martin #8 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Curtis Martin #8 (Football Cards 1996 Fleer Metal Molten) sells for about $311 versus $10.62 for a raw near-mint copy — a 29× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Curtis Martin #8?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $404, ahead of PSA 10 at $311. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Curtis Martin #8 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 Curtis Martin #8 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Curtis Martin #8 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $58.07).
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