Is John Elway #25 worth grading?
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Worth grading only if it gems
A PSA 10 John Elway #25 brings $389 versus $171 raw — a $217 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($191) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
- Raw (NM)
- $171
- PSA 10
- $389
- PSA 9
- $191
- Gem premium
- 2.3×
- 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 | $389 | +$192 | +$167 | +$67.45 |
| PSA 9 | $191 | −$5.05 | −$30.05 | −$130 |
| PSA 8 | $163 | −$33.80 | −$58.80 | −$159 |
Net = sale price − $171 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% | $241 | +$19.32 |
| 50% | $290 | +$68.70 |
| 75% | $339 | +$118 |
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 | $505 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $389 | −$116 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $233 | −$272 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $233 | −$272 | 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 | $389 | $233 | $505 | $233 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $273 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $191 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $163 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $130 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Grading John Elway #25 — FAQ
Is John Elway #25 worth grading?
A PSA 10 John Elway #25 brings $389 versus $171 raw — a $217 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($191) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
How much is a PSA 10 John Elway #25 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 John Elway #25 (Football Cards 2025 Panini Phoenix Color Blast) sells for about $389 versus $171 for a raw near-mint copy — a 2.3× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for John Elway #25?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $505, ahead of PSA 10 at $389. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does John Elway #25 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 #25 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting John Elway #25 breaks even when it gems about 15% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $191).
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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