Is Tom Brady #51 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 2004 Upper Deck Diamond Pro Sigs · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Tom Brady #51 sells for $122 against $8.62 raw: a $113 spread, 14× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.75) 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)
- $8.62
- PSA 10
- $122
- PSA 9
- $47.75
- Gem premium
- 14×
- 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 | $122 | +$87.95 | +$62.95 | −$37.05 |
| PSA 9 | $47.75 | +$14.13 | −$10.87 | −$111 |
| PSA 8 | $23.74 | −$9.88 | −$34.88 | −$135 |
Net = sale price − $8.62 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% | $66.20 | +$7.59 |
| 50% | $84.66 | +$26.04 |
| 75% | $103 | +$44.49 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 15%. 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 | $158 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $122 | −$36.43 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $73.00 | −$85.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $50.00 | −$108 | 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 Tom Brady #51 — FAQ
Is Tom Brady #51 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tom Brady #51 sells for $122 against $8.62 raw: a $113 spread, 14× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.75) 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 #51 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tom Brady #51 (Football Cards 2004 Upper Deck Diamond Pro Sigs) sells for about $122 versus $8.62 for a raw near-mint copy — a 14× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tom Brady #51?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $158, ahead of PSA 10 at $122. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tom Brady #51 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 #51 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tom Brady #51 breaks even when it gems about 15% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $47.75).
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