Is Tom Brady #181 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 2002 Ultra · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Tom Brady #181 sells for $239 against $6.16 raw: a $233 spread, 39× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($42.16) 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)
- $6.16
- PSA 10
- $239
- PSA 9
- $42.16
- Gem premium
- 39×
- 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 | $239 | +$208 | +$183 | +$82.76 |
| PSA 9 | $42.16 | +$11.00 | −$14.00 | −$114 |
| PSA 8 | $19.97 | −$11.19 | −$36.19 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $6.16 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% | $91.35 | +$35.19 |
| 50% | $141 | +$84.38 |
| 75% | $190 | +$134 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 7%. 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 | $311 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $239 | −$72.08 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $143 | −$168 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $47.88 | −$263 | 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 | $239 | $143 | $311 | $47.88 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $46.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $42.16 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $19.97 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $13.98 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Grading Tom Brady #181 — FAQ
Is Tom Brady #181 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tom Brady #181 sells for $239 against $6.16 raw: a $233 spread, 39× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($42.16) 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 #181 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tom Brady #181 (Football Cards 2002 Ultra) sells for about $239 versus $6.16 for a raw near-mint copy — a 39× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tom Brady #181?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $311, ahead of PSA 10 at $239. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tom Brady #181 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 Tom Brady #181 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tom Brady #181 breaks even when it gems about 7% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $42.16).
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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