Is Lyle Alzado #220 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1980 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Lyle Alzado #220 sells for $250 against $1.39 raw: a $249 spread, 180× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($28.43) 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)
- $1.39
- PSA 10
- $250
- PSA 9
- $28.43
- Gem premium
- 180×
- 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 | $250 | +$224 | +$199 | +$98.61 |
| PSA 9 | $28.43 | +$2.04 | −$22.96 | −$123 |
| PSA 8 | $18.50 | −$7.89 | −$32.89 | −$133 |
Net = sale price − $1.39 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% | $83.82 | +$32.43 |
| 50% | $139 | +$87.83 |
| 75% | $195 | +$143 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 10%. 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 | $325 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $250 | −$75.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $150 | −$175 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $150 | −$175 | 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 | $250 | $150 | $325 | $150 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $50.38 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $28.43 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $18.50 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $5.27 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1980 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Walter Payton [All Pro] #160 1980 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PPwAAeSwJFFpcCPk/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Lyle Alzado #220 — FAQ
Is Lyle Alzado #220 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lyle Alzado #220 sells for $250 against $1.39 raw: a $249 spread, 180× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($28.43) 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 #220 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lyle Alzado #220 (Football Cards 1980 Topps) sells for about $250 versus $1.39 for a raw near-mint copy — a 180× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lyle Alzado #220?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $325, ahead of PSA 10 at $250. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lyle Alzado #220 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 #220 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Lyle Alzado #220 breaks even when it gems about 10% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $28.43).
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.
Check my card free