Is Joe Montana #293 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1990 Pro Set · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 47× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Joe Montana #293 sells for $69.99 against $1.50 raw: a $68.49 spread, 47× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($15.19) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.50
- PSA 10
- $69.99
- PSA 9
- $15.19
- Gem premium
- 47×
- 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 | $69.99 | +$43.49 | +$18.49 | −$81.51 |
| PSA 9 | $15.19 | −$11.31 | −$36.31 | −$136 |
| PSA 8 | $9.99 | −$16.51 | −$41.51 | −$142 |
Net = sale price − $1.50 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% | $28.89 | −$22.61 |
| 50% | $42.59 | −$8.91 |
| 75% | $56.29 | +$4.79 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 66%. 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 | $93.59 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $69.99 | −$23.60 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $42.00 | −$51.59 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $42.00 | −$51.59 | 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 | $69.99 | $42.00 | $93.59 | $42.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $35.30 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $15.19 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $9.99 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $6.99 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1990 Pro Set cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Barry Sanders [Hawaii Trade Show] #1 1990 Pro Set card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/A6UAAeSwQ~FqSUOO/s-l500.jpg)
![Vince Lombardi [Trophy Hologram] 1990 Pro Set card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/wGIAAeSwt4FqUxCI/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Joe Montana #293 — FAQ
Is Joe Montana #293 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Joe Montana #293 sells for $69.99 against $1.50 raw: a $68.49 spread, 47× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($15.19) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Joe Montana #293 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Joe Montana #293 (Football Cards 1990 Pro Set) sells for about $69.99 versus $1.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 47× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Joe Montana #293?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $93.59, ahead of PSA 10 at $69.99. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Joe Montana #293 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 Joe Montana #293 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Joe Montana #293 breaks even when it gems about 66% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $15.19).
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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