![Joe Montana [Refractor] #172 (Football Cards 1994 Topps Finest) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/UeAAAeSwcddqNU2K/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Joe Montana [Refractor] #172 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1994 Topps Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Joe Montana [Refractor] #172 sells for $2,811 against $132 raw: a $2,679 spread, 21× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($197) 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)
- $132
- PSA 10
- $2,811
- PSA 9
- $197
- Gem premium
- 21×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $2,811 | +$2,654 | +$2,629 | +$2,529 |
| PSA 9 | $197 | +$39.15 | +$14.15 | −$85.85 |
| PSA 8 | $146 | −$11.74 | −$36.74 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $132 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% | $850 | +$668 |
| 50% | $1,504 | +$1,321 |
| 75% | $2,158 | +$1,975 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $3,655 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $2,811 | −$844 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,687 | −$1,968 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,687 | −$1,968 | 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 →![Lawrence Taylor [Refractor] #193 1994 Topps Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/HGwAAeSwzDRqVa2m/s-l500.jpg)
![Troy Aikman [Refractor] #202 1994 Topps Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/RSYAAeSwW0ZqVk1x/s-l500.jpg)
![Emmitt Smith [Refractor] #1 1994 Topps Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/BDcAAeSwjYdqUHBr/s-l500.jpg)
![John Elway [Refractor] #119 1994 Topps Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/S5MAAOSwiH1fdUUS/s-l500.jpg)
![Deion Sanders [Refractor] #206 1994 Topps Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/6sQAAeSwgCVqGzld/s-l500.jpg)
![Dan Marino [Refractor] #142 1994 Topps Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/lLkAAeSwx7pqVli0/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Joe Montana [Refractor] #172 — FAQ
Is Joe Montana [Refractor] #172 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Joe Montana [Refractor] #172 sells for $2,811 against $132 raw: a $2,679 spread, 21× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($197) 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 Joe Montana [Refractor] #172 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Joe Montana [Refractor] #172 (Football Cards 1994 Topps Finest) sells for about $2,811 versus $132 for a raw near-mint copy — a 21× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Joe Montana [Refractor] #172?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $3,655, ahead of PSA 10 at $2,811. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Joe Montana [Refractor] #172 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.
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.
