Is John Elway #13 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1997 Donruss Elite · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 9.0× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 John Elway #13 sells for $45.00 against $4.99 raw: a $40.01 spread, 9.0× the ungraded price. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $4.99
- PSA 10
- $45.00
- Gem premium
- 9.0×
- 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 | $45.00 | +$15.01 | −$9.99 | −$110 |
Net = sale price − $4.99 raw value − fee. Fee tiers are illustrative; plug your grader's current price into the calculator below.
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 | $59.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $45.00 | −$14.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $27.00 | −$32.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $27.00 | −$32.00 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $45.00 | $27.00 | $59.00 | $27.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1997 Donruss Elite cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
![John Elway [Gold] #13 1997 Donruss Elite card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/V94AAeSwmNdpdsvw/s-l500.jpg)
![Dan Marino [Gold] #2 1997 Donruss Elite card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/-yEAAeSwoslqBgQV/s-l500.jpg)
Grading John Elway #13 — FAQ
Is John Elway #13 worth grading?
A PSA 10 John Elway #13 sells for $45.00 against $4.99 raw: a $40.01 spread, 9.0× the ungraded price. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 John Elway #13 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 John Elway #13 (Football Cards 1997 Donruss Elite) sells for about $45.00 versus $4.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 9.0× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for John Elway #13?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $59.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $45.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does John Elway #13 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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