![Dan Marino [Gold] #2 (Football Cards 1997 Donruss Elite) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/-yEAAeSwoslqBgQV/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Dan Marino [Gold] #2 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1997 Donruss Elite · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 14× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Dan Marino [Gold] #2 sells for $119 against $8.62 raw: a $110 spread, 14× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.50) 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)
- $8.62
- PSA 10
- $119
- PSA 9
- $21.50
- Gem premium
- 14×
- 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 | $119 | +$84.88 | +$59.88 | −$40.12 |
| PSA 9 | $21.50 | −$12.12 | −$37.12 | −$137 |
| PSA 8 | $13.50 | −$20.12 | −$45.12 | −$145 |
Net = sale price − $8.62 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% | $45.75 | −$12.87 |
| 50% | $70.00 | +$11.38 |
| 75% | $94.25 | +$35.63 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 38%. 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 | $154 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $119 | −$35.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $71.00 | −$83.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $71.00 | −$83.00 | 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 | $119 | $71.00 | $154 | $71.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $24.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $21.50 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $13.50 |
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)
Grading Dan Marino [Gold] #2 — FAQ
Is Dan Marino [Gold] #2 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dan Marino [Gold] #2 sells for $119 against $8.62 raw: a $110 spread, 14× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.50) 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 Dan Marino [Gold] #2 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dan Marino [Gold] #2 (Football Cards 1997 Donruss Elite) sells for about $119 versus $8.62 for a raw near-mint copy — a 14× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dan Marino [Gold] #2?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $154, ahead of PSA 10 at $119. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dan Marino [Gold] #2 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 Dan Marino [Gold] #2 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Dan Marino [Gold] #2 breaks even when it gems about 38% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $21.50).
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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