![Joe Montana [Special Effects] #520 (Football Cards 1994 Topps) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/qg8AAeSw0-1qNHVu/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Joe Montana [Special Effects] #520 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1994 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Joe Montana [Special Effects] #520 sells for $117 against $2.66 raw: a $114 spread, 44× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($51.10) 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)
- $2.66
- PSA 10
- $117
- PSA 9
- $51.10
- 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 | $117 | +$88.93 | +$63.93 | −$36.07 |
| PSA 9 | $51.10 | +$23.44 | −$1.56 | −$102 |
| PSA 8 | $20.00 | −$7.66 | −$32.66 | −$133 |
Net = sale price − $2.66 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% | $67.47 | +$14.81 |
| 50% | $83.84 | +$31.19 |
| 75% | $100 | +$47.56 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 2%. 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 | $152 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $117 | −$35.41 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $70.00 | −$82.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $70.00 | −$82.00 | 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 | $117 | $70.00 | $152 | $70.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $56.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $51.10 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $20.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Joe Montana [Special Effects] #520 — FAQ
Is Joe Montana [Special Effects] #520 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Joe Montana [Special Effects] #520 sells for $117 against $2.66 raw: a $114 spread, 44× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($51.10) 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 [Special Effects] #520 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Joe Montana [Special Effects] #520 (Football Cards 1994 Topps) sells for about $117 versus $2.66 for a raw near-mint copy — a 44× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Joe Montana [Special Effects] #520?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $152, ahead of PSA 10 at $117. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Joe Montana [Special Effects] #520 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 Joe Montana [Special Effects] #520 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Joe Montana [Special Effects] #520 breaks even when it gems about 2% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $51.10).
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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