Is Howie Long #40 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1994 Topps Finest · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Howie Long #40 sell for $26.14, only $24.09 above the $2.05 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($26.00) 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)
- $2.05
- PSA 10
- $26.14
- PSA 9
- $26.00
- Gem premium
- 13×
- 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 | $26.14 | −$0.91 | −$25.91 | −$126 |
| PSA 9 | $26.00 | −$1.05 | −$26.05 | −$126 |
| PSA 8 | $14.62 | −$12.43 | −$37.43 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $2.05 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% | $26.04 | −$26.02 |
| 50% | $26.07 | −$25.98 |
| 75% | $26.11 | −$25.95 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $34.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $26.14 | −$7.86 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $16.00 | −$18.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $16.00 | −$18.00 | 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 | $26.14 | $16.00 | $34.00 | $16.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $26.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $26.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $14.62 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1994 Topps Finest cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Troy Aikman [Refractor] #202 1994 Topps Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/RSYAAeSwW0ZqVk1x/s-l500.jpg)
![Lawrence Taylor [Refractor] #193 1994 Topps Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/HGwAAeSwzDRqVa2m/s-l500.jpg)
![Emmitt Smith [Refractor] #1 1994 Topps Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/BDcAAeSwjYdqUHBr/s-l500.jpg)
![Joe Montana [Refractor] #172 1994 Topps Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/UeAAAeSwcddqNU2K/s-l500.jpg)
![Jerry Rice [Refractor] #12 1994 Topps Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ZJ4AAeSwwHZqTtIc/s-l500.jpg)
![John Elway [Refractor] #119 1994 Topps Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/S5MAAOSwiH1fdUUS/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Howie Long #40 — FAQ
Is Howie Long #40 worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Howie Long #40 sell for $26.14, only $24.09 above the $2.05 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($26.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Howie Long #40 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Howie Long #40 (Football Cards 1994 Topps Finest) sells for about $26.14 versus $2.05 for a raw near-mint copy — a 13× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Howie Long #40?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $34.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $26.14. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Howie Long #40 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.
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.
Check my card free