Is Joe Montana #1 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 2024 Panini Donruss Optic Downtown Legends · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Joe Montana #1 sells for $613 against $348 raw: a $265 spread, 1.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($410) 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)
- $348
- PSA 10
- $613
- PSA 9
- $410
- Gem premium
- 1.8×
- 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 | $613 | +$240 | +$215 | +$115 |
| PSA 9 | $410 | +$37.10 | +$12.10 | −$87.90 |
| PSA 8 | $237 | −$136 | −$161 | −$261 |
Net = sale price − $348 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% | $461 | +$62.76 |
| 50% | $511 | +$113 |
| 75% | $562 | +$164 |
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 →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $796 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $613 | −$183 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $525 | −$271 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $368 | −$428 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2024 Panini Donruss Optic Downtown Legends cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Deion Sanders [Black Pandora] #5 2024 Panini Donruss Optic Downtown Legends card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/wFAAAeSw0iNqSlgo/s-l500.jpg)
![Joe Montana [Black Pandora] #1 2024 Panini Donruss Optic Downtown Legends card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/wAQAAeSw-Z1o6mpb/s-l500.jpg)
![Lawrence Taylor [Black Pandora] #10 2024 Panini Donruss Optic Downtown Legends card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/P~QAAeSwflRqZ9e4/s-l500.jpg)
![Adrian Peterson [Gold] #8 2024 Panini Donruss Optic Downtown Legends card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/~B8AAeSwGbJqfgNQ/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Joe Montana #1 — FAQ
Is Joe Montana #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Joe Montana #1 sells for $613 against $348 raw: a $265 spread, 1.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($410) 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 Montana #1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Joe Montana #1 (Football Cards 2024 Panini Donruss Optic Downtown Legends) sells for about $613 versus $348 for a raw near-mint copy — a 1.8× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Joe Montana #1?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $796, ahead of PSA 10 at $613. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Joe Montana #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.
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your football card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
