Is John Elway #3 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1996 Fleer Metal Platinum Portraits · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 John Elway #3 sells for $83.00 against $4.50 raw: a $78.50 spread, 18× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($75.00) 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)
- $4.50
- Grade 9.5
- $83.00
- PSA 9
- $75.00
- Gem premium
- 18×
- 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 | $83.00 | +$53.50 | +$28.50 | −$71.50 |
| PSA 9 | $75.00 | +$45.50 | +$20.50 | −$79.50 |
| PSA 8 | $39.00 | +$9.50 | −$15.50 | −$116 |
Net = sale price − $4.50 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% | $77.00 | +$22.50 |
| 50% | $79.00 | +$24.50 |
| 75% | $81.00 | +$26.50 |
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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Other 1996 Fleer Metal Platinum Portraits cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading John Elway #3 — FAQ
Is John Elway #3 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 John Elway #3 sells for $83.00 against $4.50 raw: a $78.50 spread, 18× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($75.00) 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.
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