Is Peyton Manning #1 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1998 Topps Season Opener · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Peyton Manning #1 sells for $378 against $25.16 raw: a $353 spread, 15× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($67.47) 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)
- $25.16
- PSA 10
- $378
- PSA 9
- $67.47
- Gem premium
- 15×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $378 | +$328 | +$303 | +$203 |
| PSA 9 | $67.47 | +$17.31 | −$7.69 | −$108 |
| PSA 8 | $38.65 | −$11.51 | −$36.51 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $25.16 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% | $145 | +$70.04 |
| 50% | $223 | +$148 |
| 75% | $301 | +$226 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 2%. 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 | $492 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $378 | −$114 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $227 | −$265 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $140 | −$352 | 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.
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Other 1998 Topps Season Opener cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Peyton Manning #1 — FAQ
Is Peyton Manning #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Peyton Manning #1 sells for $378 against $25.16 raw: a $353 spread, 15× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($67.47) 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 Peyton Manning #1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Peyton Manning #1 (Football Cards 1998 Topps Season Opener) sells for about $378 versus $25.16 for a raw near-mint copy — a 15× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Peyton Manning #1?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $492, ahead of PSA 10 at $378. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Peyton Manning #1 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 Peyton Manning #1 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Peyton Manning #1 breaks even when it gems about 2% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $67.47).
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