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Joe Theismann [Autograph] #AL-174 (Football Cards 1997 Upper Deck Legends) — is it worth grading?

Is Joe Theismann [Autograph] #AL-174 worth grading?

Football · Football Cards 1997 Upper Deck Legends · full price guide →

Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw

A PSA 10 Joe Theismann [Autograph] #AL-174 sells for $100 against $18.00 raw: a $82.00 spread, 5.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($89.27) 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)
$18.00
PSA 10
$100
PSA 9
$89.27
Gem premium
5.6×
As of
Jul 11, 2026

Break-even by outcome and fee

Joe Theismann [Autograph] #AL-174: net result of grading versus selling raw, by outcome and fee tier
If it comes back…Sells forEconomy / bulk (~$25.00)Standard (~$50.00)Express (~$150)
Gem — PSA 10$100+$57.00+$32.00−$68.00
PSA 9$89.27+$46.27+$21.27−$78.73
PSA 8$61.89+$18.89−$6.11−$106

Net = sale price − $18.00 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?

Joe Theismann [Autograph] #AL-174: expected value of submitting by gem probability
Chance it gemsExpected saleExpected net (standard fee)
25%$91.95+$23.95
50%$94.63+$26.63
75%$97.32+$29.32

Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.

Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes

All centering standards
Joe Theismann [Autograph] #AL-174: top-grade value by grading company with centering tolerance
Grader10 sells forvs bestFront centering for a 10Back
BGS 10$130best55/4570/30
PSA 10$100−$30.0055/4575/25
CGC 10$60.00−$70.0055/4575/25
SGC 10$60.00−$70.0055/4575/25

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.

Joe Theismann [Autograph] #AL-174 graded prices by company and grade
GradePSACGCBGSSGCGraded
10$100$60.00$130$60.00
9.5$98.00
9$89.27
8$61.89

Run your own numbers

Should I pay this?

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Grading Joe Theismann [Autograph] #AL-174 — FAQ

Is Joe Theismann [Autograph] #AL-174 worth grading?

A PSA 10 Joe Theismann [Autograph] #AL-174 sells for $100 against $18.00 raw: a $82.00 spread, 5.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($89.27) 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 Theismann [Autograph] #AL-174 worth compared with raw?

A PSA 10 Joe Theismann [Autograph] #AL-174 (Football Cards 1997 Upper Deck Legends) sells for about $100 versus $18.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.6× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.

Which grading company is best for Joe Theismann [Autograph] #AL-174?

By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $130, ahead of PSA 10 at $100. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.

What centering does Joe Theismann [Autograph] #AL-174 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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