Top 5 1994 Topps Finest Football Essential Refractors in PSA 10

Why is the 1994 Topps Finest Football set so critically important to the hobby we all know and love? It’s because the set represents the birth of the refractor card for football collectors. The birth of the refractor introduced a premium, condition-sensitive parallel at a time when most football products were mass-produced.

From a production perspective, many of the refractor cards weren’t clearly labeled and as a result collectors were forced to meticulously look for the ever-elusive rainbow shimmer. With odds of roughly 1-in-9 packs, star player refractors immediately became the chase of the early 1990s and once grading became a phenomenon, these cards were nothing short of decade-driven grails. With that said here's a closer look at five essential PSA 10 refractors for collectors to start chasing (if they haven’t already).

BARRY SANDERS (Refractor) (Card No. 44)

From a value perspective, the raw version of this card generally sells in a range of $250-$350 whereas its graded counterparts offer much more attractive value. From a graded perspective, there are just 10 PSA 10s followed by 123 PSA 9s, and 68 PSA 8s. According to Card Ladder, the highest public sale of a PSA 10 occurred on December 11, 2022 and was sold for $1,825 via eBay.

JERRY RICE (Refractor) (Card No. 12)

From a value perspective, the raw version of this card generally sells in a range of $150-$200 whereas its graded counterparts offer much more attractive value. From a graded perspective, there are just 8 PSA 10s followed by 94 PSA 9s, and 85 PSA 8s. According to Card Ladder, the highest public sale of a PSA 10 occurred on March 10, 2025 and was sold for $3,205 via eBay.

EMMITT SMITH (Refractor) (Card No. 1)

From a value perspective, the raw version of this card generally sells in a range of $125-$150 whereas its graded counterparts offer much more attractive value. From a graded perspective, there are just 10 PSA 10s followed by 64 PSA 9s, and 59 PSA 8s. According to Card Ladder, the highest public sale of a PSA 10 occurred on September 16, 2025 and was sold for $2,025 via eBay.

JOE MONTANA (Refractor) (Card No. 172)

From a value perspective, the raw version of this card generally sells in a range of $75-$100 whereas its graded counterparts offer much more attractive value. From a graded perspective, there are just 6 PSA 10s followed by 100 PSA 9s, and 58 PSA 8s. According to PSA, the highest public sale of a PSA 10 occurred on September 25, 2020 and was sold for $450 via eBay.

DAN MARINO (Refractor) (Card No. 142)

From a value perspective, the raw version of this card generally sells in a range of $75-$100 whereas its graded counterparts offer much more attractive value. From a graded perspective, there are just 5 PSA 10s followed by 114 PSA 9s, and 54 PSA 8s. According to PSA, the highest public sale of a PSA 10 occurred on June 21, 2021 and was sold for $1,444 via eBay.

When it comes to the hobby we all know and love, there aren’t many sets as innovative as the 1994 Topps Finest Football set. Not only did the set introduce football collectors to a “refractor” it also set a benchmark for parallels that is still maintained some thirty odd years later.