Is John Elway [1000 Stripe] #117 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1992 Wild Card · full price guide →
Worth grading only if it gems
A Grade 9.5 John Elway [1000 Stripe] #117 brings $308 versus $255 raw — a $53.00 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($280) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
- Raw (NM)
- $255
- Grade 9.5
- $308
- PSA 9
- $280
- Gem premium
- 1.2×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $308 | +$28.00 | +$3.00 | −$97.00 |
| PSA 9 | $280 | −$0.01 | −$25.01 | −$125 |
Net = sale price − $255 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% | $287 | −$18.01 |
| 50% | $294 | −$11.00 |
| 75% | $301 | −$4.00 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 89%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $308 |
| 9 | $280 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1992 Wild Card cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Emmitt Smith [1000 Stripe] #161 1992 Wild Card card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/j5wAAOSwBIhlwtKa/s-l500.jpg)
Grading John Elway [1000 Stripe] #117 — FAQ
Is John Elway [1000 Stripe] #117 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 John Elway [1000 Stripe] #117 brings $308 versus $255 raw — a $53.00 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($280) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
What gem rate makes grading John Elway [1000 Stripe] #117 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting John Elway [1000 Stripe] #117 breaks even when it gems about 89% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $280).
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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