Is John Elway [Gold] #SOT-JE worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 2004 SP Authentic Sign of the Times · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of John Elway [Gold] #SOT-JE sell for $184, only $9.00 above the $175 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($168) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $175
- Grade 9.5
- $184
- PSA 9
- $168
- Gem premium
- 1.1×
- As of
- Sep 4, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — Grade 9.5 | $184 | −$16.00 | −$41.00 | −$141 |
| PSA 9 | $168 | −$32.50 | −$57.50 | −$158 |
Net = sale price − $175 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% | $172 | −$53.38 |
| 50% | $176 | −$49.25 |
| 75% | $180 | −$45.13 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Other 2004 SP Authentic Sign of the Times cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading John Elway [Gold] #SOT-JE — FAQ
Is John Elway [Gold] #SOT-JE worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of John Elway [Gold] #SOT-JE sell for $184, only $9.00 above the $175 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($168) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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