![Joe Montana [Autograph] #170 (Football Cards 1990 Notre Dame Collegiate Collection) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/9KUAAeSwTbZqr9pL/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Joe Montana [Autograph] #170 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1990 Notre Dame Collegiate Collection · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Joe Montana [Autograph] #170 sells for $154 against $105 raw: a $48.88 spread, 1.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($140) 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)
- $105
- Grade 9.5
- $154
- PSA 9
- $140
- Gem premium
- 1.5×
- As of
- Sep 19, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — Grade 9.5 | $154 | +$23.88 | −$1.12 | −$101 |
| PSA 9 | $140 | +$9.81 | −$15.19 | −$115 |
Net = sale price − $105 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% | $143 | −$11.67 |
| 50% | $147 | −$8.16 |
| 75% | $150 | −$4.64 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Joe Montana [Autograph] #170 — FAQ
Is Joe Montana [Autograph] #170 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Joe Montana [Autograph] #170 sells for $154 against $105 raw: a $48.88 spread, 1.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($140) 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.
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