Is Bob Lilly #87 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1970 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Bob Lilly #87 sells for $543 against $3.99 raw: a $539 spread, 136× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($98.06) 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)
- $3.99
- PSA 10
- $543
- PSA 9
- $98.06
- Gem premium
- 136×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $543 | +$514 | +$489 | +$389 |
| PSA 9 | $98.06 | +$69.07 | +$44.07 | −$55.93 |
| PSA 8 | $42.61 | +$13.62 | −$11.38 | −$111 |
Net = sale price − $3.99 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% | $209 | +$155 |
| 50% | $320 | +$266 |
| 75% | $431 | +$377 |
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 | $705 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $543 | −$162 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $326 | −$379 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $326 | −$379 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $543 | $326 | $705 | $326 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $159 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $98.06 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $42.61 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $32.00 |
Run your own numbers
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Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Bob Lilly #87 — FAQ
Is Bob Lilly #87 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Bob Lilly #87 sells for $543 against $3.99 raw: a $539 spread, 136× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($98.06) 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 Bob Lilly #87 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Bob Lilly #87 (Football Cards 1970 Topps) sells for about $543 versus $3.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 136× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Bob Lilly #87?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $705, ahead of PSA 10 at $543. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Bob Lilly #87 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.
Is your football card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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