Is John Elway #3 worth grading?
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Worth grading only if it gems
A PSA 10 John Elway #3 brings $2,095 versus $1,002 raw — a $1,093 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($970) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money.
- Raw (NM)
- $1,002
- PSA 10
- $2,095
- PSA 9
- $970
- Gem premium
- 2.1×
- 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 | $2,095 | +$1,068 | +$1,043 | +$943 |
| PSA 9 | $970 | −$56.76 | −$81.76 | −$182 |
| PSA 8 | $867 | −$160 | −$185 | −$285 |
Net = sale price − $1,002 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% | $1,251 | +$199 |
| 50% | $1,533 | +$481 |
| 75% | $1,814 | +$762 |
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 | $2,724 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $2,095 | −$629 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,257 | −$1,467 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,257 | −$1,467 | 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 | $2,095 | $1,257 | $2,724 | $1,257 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $1,831 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $970 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $867 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $710 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading John Elway #3 — FAQ
Is John Elway #3 worth grading?
A PSA 10 John Elway #3 brings $2,095 versus $1,002 raw — a $1,093 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($970) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money.
How much is a PSA 10 John Elway #3 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 John Elway #3 (Football Cards 2025 Panini Absolute Kaboom Super Bowl Vertical) sells for about $2,095 versus $1,002 for a raw near-mint copy — a 2.1× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for John Elway #3?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $2,724, ahead of PSA 10 at $2,095. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does John Elway #3 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 John Elway #3 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting John Elway #3 breaks even when it gems about 7% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $970).
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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