Is John Elway #13SS worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1998 Fleer Brilliants Shining Stars · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 John Elway #13SS sells for $523 against $3.19 raw: a $520 spread, 164× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($475) 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)
- $3.19
- Grade 9.5
- $523
- PSA 9
- $475
- Gem premium
- 164×
- 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 | $523 | +$495 | +$470 | +$370 |
| PSA 9 | $475 | +$447 | +$422 | +$322 |
Net = sale price − $3.19 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% | $487 | +$434 |
| 50% | $499 | +$446 |
| 75% | $511 | +$458 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading John Elway #13SS — FAQ
Is John Elway #13SS worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 John Elway #13SS sells for $523 against $3.19 raw: a $520 spread, 164× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($475) 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.
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