Is Sam Darnold #RT-SD worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 2018 Donruss Optic Rookie Threads · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Sam Darnold #RT-SD sell for $30.00, only $21.25 above the $8.75 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($25.08) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $8.75
- PSA 10
- $30.00
- PSA 9
- $25.08
- Gem premium
- 3.4×
- 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 | $30.00 | −$3.75 | −$28.75 | −$129 |
| PSA 9 | $25.08 | −$8.67 | −$33.67 | −$134 |
| PSA 8 | $12.10 | −$21.65 | −$46.65 | −$147 |
Net = sale price − $8.75 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% | $26.31 | −$32.44 |
| 50% | $27.54 | −$31.21 |
| 75% | $28.77 | −$29.98 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $39.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $30.00 | −$9.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $18.00 | −$21.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $18.00 | −$21.00 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
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Other 2018 Donruss Optic Rookie Threads cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Sam Darnold #RT-SD — FAQ
Is Sam Darnold #RT-SD worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Sam Darnold #RT-SD sell for $30.00, only $21.25 above the $8.75 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($25.08) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Sam Darnold #RT-SD worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Sam Darnold #RT-SD (Football Cards 2018 Donruss Optic Rookie Threads) sells for about $30.00 versus $8.75 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3.4× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Sam Darnold #RT-SD?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $39.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $30.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Sam Darnold #RT-SD 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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