Is Lyle Alzado [Cream Colored Back] #420 worth grading?
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Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Lyle Alzado [Cream Colored Back] #420 sells for $243 against $2.49 raw: a $241 spread, 98× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($42.84) 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)
- $2.49
- PSA 10
- $243
- PSA 9
- $42.84
- Gem premium
- 98×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $243 | +$216 | +$191 | +$90.53 |
| PSA 9 | $42.84 | +$15.35 | −$9.65 | −$110 |
| PSA 8 | $18.49 | −$9.00 | −$34.00 | −$134 |
Net = sale price − $2.49 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% | $92.89 | +$40.40 |
| 50% | $143 | +$90.44 |
| 75% | $193 | +$140 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 5%. 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 | $316 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $243 | −$72.98 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $146 | −$170 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $146 | −$170 | 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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Grading Lyle Alzado [Cream Colored Back] #420 — FAQ
Is Lyle Alzado [Cream Colored Back] #420 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lyle Alzado [Cream Colored Back] #420 sells for $243 against $2.49 raw: a $241 spread, 98× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($42.84) 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 Lyle Alzado [Cream Colored Back] #420 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lyle Alzado [Cream Colored Back] #420 (Football Cards 1979 Topps) sells for about $243 versus $2.49 for a raw near-mint copy — a 98× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lyle Alzado [Cream Colored Back] #420?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $316, ahead of PSA 10 at $243. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lyle Alzado [Cream Colored Back] #420 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 Lyle Alzado [Cream Colored Back] #420 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Lyle Alzado [Cream Colored Back] #420 breaks even when it gems about 5% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $42.84).
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