Is Joe Montana #9 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1991 Upper Deck Heroes · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
CGC 10 copies of Joe Montana #9 sell for $25.00, only $23.47 above the $1.53 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($19.99) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.53
- CGC 10
- $25.00
- PSA 9
- $19.99
- Gem premium
- 16×
- As of
- Sep 4, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — CGC 10 | $25.00 | −$1.53 | −$26.53 | −$127 |
| PSA 9 | $19.99 | −$6.54 | −$31.54 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $1.53 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% | $21.24 | −$30.29 |
| 50% | $22.49 | −$29.04 |
| 75% | $23.75 | −$27.78 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $25.00 | best | 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 →Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1991 Upper Deck Heroes cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Joe Montana [1981 A Star Is Born] #2 1991 Upper Deck Heroes card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/WWwAAeSwNlxqTwD0/s-l500.jpg)
![Joe Namath [Checklist 10-18] #18 1991 Upper Deck Heroes card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/hu8AAOSwXgVkB14d/s-l500.jpg)
![Joe Montana [1989 Back to Back] #7 1991 Upper Deck Heroes card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/U~AAAOSw1~5m0lD8/s-l500.jpg)
![Joe Montana [1984 Super Bowl MVP] #3 1991 Upper Deck Heroes card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/whQAAeSwfwRqW-S~/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Joe Montana #9 — FAQ
Is Joe Montana #9 worth grading?
CGC 10 copies of Joe Montana #9 sell for $25.00, only $23.47 above the $1.53 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($19.99) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
What centering does Joe Montana #9 need for a CGC 10?
CGC publishes 55/45 front and 75/25 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.
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your football card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
