Is Joe Montana #420 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1995 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Joe Montana #420 sells for $57.24 against $1.74 raw: a $55.50 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($45.00) 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)
- $1.74
- PSA 10
- $57.24
- PSA 9
- $45.00
- 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 | $57.24 | +$30.50 | +$5.50 | −$94.50 |
| PSA 9 | $45.00 | +$18.26 | −$6.74 | −$107 |
| PSA 8 | $20.87 | −$5.87 | −$30.87 | −$131 |
Net = sale price − $1.74 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% | $48.06 | −$3.68 |
| 50% | $51.12 | −$0.62 |
| 75% | $54.18 | +$2.44 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 55%. 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 | $74.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $57.24 | −$16.76 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $34.00 | −$40.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $20.15 | −$53.85 | 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 | $57.24 | $20.15 | $74.00 | $34.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $50.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $45.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $20.87 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $0.99 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1995 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
![Dan Marino [Panthers Inaugural] #350 1995 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/4h0AAeSwzm9qQfPC/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Joe Montana #420 — FAQ
Is Joe Montana #420 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Joe Montana #420 sells for $57.24 against $1.74 raw: a $55.50 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($45.00) 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 #420 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Joe Montana #420 (Football Cards 1995 Topps) sells for about $57.24 versus $1.74 for a raw near-mint copy — a 33× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Joe Montana #420?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $74.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $57.24. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Joe Montana #420 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 #420 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Joe Montana #420 breaks even when it gems about 55% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $45.00).
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