![Sterling Sharpe [Refractor] #31 (Football Cards 1994 Topps Finest) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/oTQAAeSwdhFqUY~W/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Sterling Sharpe [Refractor] #31 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1994 Topps Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Sterling Sharpe [Refractor] #31 sells for $768 against $23.16 raw: a $745 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($64.29) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $23.16
- PSA 10
- $768
- PSA 9
- $64.29
- Gem premium
- 33×
- 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 | $768 | +$720 | +$695 | +$595 |
| PSA 9 | $64.29 | +$16.13 | −$8.87 | −$109 |
| PSA 8 | $21.50 | −$26.66 | −$51.66 | −$152 |
Net = sale price − $23.16 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% | $240 | +$167 |
| 50% | $416 | +$343 |
| 75% | $592 | +$519 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. 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 | $999 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $768 | −$231 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $461 | −$538 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $461 | −$538 | 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 | $768 | $461 | $999 | $461 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $220 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $64.29 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $21.50 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $17.00 |
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 Sterling Sharpe [Refractor] #31 — FAQ
Is Sterling Sharpe [Refractor] #31 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Sterling Sharpe [Refractor] #31 sells for $768 against $23.16 raw: a $745 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($64.29) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Sterling Sharpe [Refractor] #31 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Sterling Sharpe [Refractor] #31 (Football Cards 1994 Topps Finest) sells for about $768 versus $23.16 for a raw near-mint copy — a 33× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Sterling Sharpe [Refractor] #31?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $999, ahead of PSA 10 at $768. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Sterling Sharpe [Refractor] #31 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 Sterling Sharpe [Refractor] #31 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Sterling Sharpe [Refractor] #31 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $64.29).
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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