![John Elway [Refractor] #70 (Football Cards 1997 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/blIAAeSwK6ppn8GA/s-l1600.jpg)
Is John Elway [Refractor] #70 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1997 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 John Elway [Refractor] #70 sells for $330 against $52.88 raw: a $277 spread, 6.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($90.00) 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)
- $52.88
- PSA 10
- $330
- PSA 9
- $90.00
- Gem premium
- 6.2×
- 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 | $330 | +$252 | +$227 | +$127 |
| PSA 9 | $90.00 | +$12.12 | −$12.88 | −$113 |
| PSA 8 | $62.60 | −$15.28 | −$40.28 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $52.88 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% | $150 | +$47.12 |
| 50% | $210 | +$107 |
| 75% | $270 | +$167 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 5%. 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 | $429 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $330 | −$99.01 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $198 | −$231 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $198 | −$231 | 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 | $330 | $198 | $429 | $198 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $99.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $90.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $62.60 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1997 Topps Chrome cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Drew Bledsoe [Refractor] #32 1997 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/IFQAAeSw4h1pu~8-/s-l500.jpg)
![Steve Young [Refractor] #45 1997 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/fvkAAOSwTwtmiLzJ/s-l500.jpg)
![Brett Favre [Refractor] #1 1997 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/tJIAAeSwmvtqA-rg/s-l500.jpg)
![Orlando Pace [Refractor] #153 1997 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/IS8AAeSw24tp11vW/s-l500.jpg)
![Warrick Dunn [Refractor] #68 1997 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/-dgAAeSwtqBqRr1C/s-l500.jpg)
Grading John Elway [Refractor] #70 — FAQ
Is John Elway [Refractor] #70 worth grading?
A PSA 10 John Elway [Refractor] #70 sells for $330 against $52.88 raw: a $277 spread, 6.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($90.00) 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 John Elway [Refractor] #70 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 John Elway [Refractor] #70 (Football Cards 1997 Topps Chrome) sells for about $330 versus $52.88 for a raw near-mint copy — a 6.2× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for John Elway [Refractor] #70?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $429, ahead of PSA 10 at $330. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does John Elway [Refractor] #70 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 John Elway [Refractor] #70 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting John Elway [Refractor] #70 breaks even when it gems about 5% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $90.00).
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.
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