![John L. Williams [Refractor] #135 (Football Cards 1994 Topps Finest) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/I3UAAeSwe5tp-kr-/s-l1600.jpg)
Is John L. Williams [Refractor] #135 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1994 Topps Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 John L. Williams [Refractor] #135 sells for $205 against $5.29 raw: a $200 spread, 39× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.95) 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)
- $5.29
- PSA 10
- $205
- PSA 9
- $39.95
- Gem premium
- 39×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $205 | +$175 | +$150 | +$50.08 |
| PSA 9 | $39.95 | +$9.66 | −$15.34 | −$115 |
| PSA 8 | $6.25 | −$24.04 | −$49.04 | −$149 |
Net = sale price − $5.29 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% | $81.31 | +$26.02 |
| 50% | $123 | +$67.37 |
| 75% | $164 | +$109 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 9%. 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 | $267 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $205 | −$61.63 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $123 | −$144 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $123 | −$144 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
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)
![Joe Montana [Refractor] #172 1994 Topps Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/UeAAAeSwcddqNU2K/s-l500.jpg)
![John Elway [Refractor] #119 1994 Topps Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/S5MAAOSwiH1fdUUS/s-l500.jpg)
![Emmitt Smith [Refractor] #1 1994 Topps Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/BDcAAeSwjYdqUHBr/s-l500.jpg)
![Dan Marino [Refractor] #142 1994 Topps Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/lLkAAeSwx7pqVli0/s-l500.jpg)
Grading John L. Williams [Refractor] #135 — FAQ
Is John L. Williams [Refractor] #135 worth grading?
A PSA 10 John L. Williams [Refractor] #135 sells for $205 against $5.29 raw: a $200 spread, 39× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.95) 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 John L. Williams [Refractor] #135 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 John L. Williams [Refractor] #135 (Football Cards 1994 Topps Finest) sells for about $205 versus $5.29 for a raw near-mint copy — a 39× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for John L. Williams [Refractor] #135?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $267, ahead of PSA 10 at $205. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does John L. Williams [Refractor] #135 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 John L. Williams [Refractor] #135 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting John L. Williams [Refractor] #135 breaks even when it gems about 9% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $39.95).
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.
