Is Joe Montana #8 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1994 Ultra Flair Hot Numbers · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 28× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Joe Montana #8 sells for $70.75 against $2.51 raw: a $68.24 spread, 28× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($19.33) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $2.51
- PSA 10
- $70.75
- PSA 9
- $19.33
- Gem premium
- 28×
- 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 | $70.75 | +$43.24 | +$18.24 | −$81.76 |
| PSA 9 | $19.33 | −$8.18 | −$33.18 | −$133 |
| PSA 8 | $7.02 | −$20.49 | −$45.49 | −$145 |
Net = sale price − $2.51 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% | $32.19 | −$20.32 |
| 50% | $45.04 | −$7.47 |
| 75% | $57.89 | +$5.38 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 65%. 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 | $92.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $70.75 | −$21.25 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $42.00 | −$50.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $42.00 | −$50.00 | 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 | $70.75 | $42.00 | $92.00 | $42.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $21.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $19.33 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $7.02 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $1.13 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1994 Ultra Flair Hot Numbers cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Joe Montana #8 — FAQ
Is Joe Montana #8 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Joe Montana #8 sells for $70.75 against $2.51 raw: a $68.24 spread, 28× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($19.33) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Joe Montana #8 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Joe Montana #8 (Football Cards 1994 Ultra Flair Hot Numbers) sells for about $70.75 versus $2.51 for a raw near-mint copy — a 28× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Joe Montana #8?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $92.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $70.75. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Joe Montana #8 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 #8 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Joe Montana #8 breaks even when it gems about 65% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $19.33).
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