Is John Elway #55 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1996 Collector's Choice · full price guide →
Worth grading only if it gems
A PSA 10 John Elway #55 brings $36.48 versus $1.49 raw — a $34.99 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($17.03) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.49
- PSA 10
- $36.48
- PSA 9
- $17.03
- Gem premium
- 24×
- 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 | $36.48 | +$9.99 | −$15.01 | −$115 |
| PSA 9 | $17.03 | −$9.46 | −$34.46 | −$134 |
| PSA 8 | $11.19 | −$15.30 | −$40.30 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $1.49 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% | $21.89 | −$29.60 |
| 50% | $26.75 | −$24.73 |
| 75% | $31.62 | −$19.87 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $47.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $36.48 | −$10.52 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $22.00 | −$25.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $22.00 | −$25.00 | 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 | $36.48 | $22.00 | $47.00 | $22.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $31.20 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $17.03 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $11.19 |
Run your own numbers
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Other 1996 Collector's Choice cards worth checking
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Grading John Elway #55 — FAQ
Is John Elway #55 worth grading?
A PSA 10 John Elway #55 brings $36.48 versus $1.49 raw — a $34.99 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($17.03) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
How much is a PSA 10 John Elway #55 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 John Elway #55 (Football Cards 1996 Collector's Choice) sells for about $36.48 versus $1.49 for a raw near-mint copy — a 24× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for John Elway #55?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $47.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $36.48. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does John Elway #55 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.
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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