Is Dan Marino #290 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1993 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 44× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Dan Marino #290 sells for $79.50 against $1.79 raw: a $77.71 spread, 44× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.09) 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)
- $1.79
- PSA 10
- $79.50
- PSA 9
- $20.09
- Gem premium
- 44×
- 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 | $79.50 | +$52.71 | +$27.71 | −$72.29 |
| PSA 9 | $20.09 | −$6.70 | −$31.70 | −$132 |
| PSA 8 | $10.25 | −$16.54 | −$41.54 | −$142 |
Net = sale price − $1.79 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% | $34.94 | −$16.85 |
| 50% | $49.80 | −$1.99 |
| 75% | $64.65 | +$12.86 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 53%. 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 | $103 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $79.50 | −$23.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $48.00 | −$55.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $48.00 | −$55.00 | 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 | $79.50 | $48.00 | $103 | $48.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $37.18 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $20.09 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $10.25 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1993 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Dan Marino [Gold] #290 1993 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/UosAAeSwtOZqN0kb/s-l500.jpg)
![Drew Bledsoe [Gold] #130 1993 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/4KIAAeSwFNhqPgA3/s-l500.jpg)
![Drew Bledsoe [Gold] #400 1993 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/l7kAAeSwoaFqRvdv/s-l500.jpg)
![John Elway [Gold] #100 1993 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/MW4AAeSw2rlp82CB/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Dan Marino #290 — FAQ
Is Dan Marino #290 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dan Marino #290 sells for $79.50 against $1.79 raw: a $77.71 spread, 44× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.09) 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 Dan Marino #290 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dan Marino #290 (Football Cards 1993 Topps) sells for about $79.50 versus $1.79 for a raw near-mint copy — a 44× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dan Marino #290?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $103, ahead of PSA 10 at $79.50. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dan Marino #290 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 Dan Marino #290 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Dan Marino #290 breaks even when it gems about 53% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $20.09).
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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