
Is Neil Lomax #249 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1988 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 72× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Neil Lomax #249 sells for $101 against $1.40 raw: a $99.48 spread, 72× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.32) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.40
- PSA 10
- $101
- PSA 9
- $21.32
- Gem premium
- 72×
- 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 | $101 | +$74.48 | +$49.48 | −$50.52 |
| PSA 9 | $21.32 | −$5.08 | −$30.08 | −$130 |
| PSA 8 | $9.95 | −$16.45 | −$41.45 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $1.40 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% | $41.21 | −$10.19 |
| 50% | $61.10 | +$9.70 |
| 75% | $80.99 | +$29.59 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 38%. 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 | $131 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $101 | −$30.12 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $61.00 | −$70.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $61.00 | −$70.00 | 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 | $101 | $61.00 | $131 | $61.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $39.06 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $21.32 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $9.95 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1988 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Neil Lomax #249 — FAQ
Is Neil Lomax #249 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Neil Lomax #249 sells for $101 against $1.40 raw: a $99.48 spread, 72× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.32) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Neil Lomax #249 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Neil Lomax #249 (Football Cards 1988 Topps) sells for about $101 versus $1.40 for a raw near-mint copy — a 72× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Neil Lomax #249?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $131, ahead of PSA 10 at $101. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Neil Lomax #249 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 Neil Lomax #249 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Neil Lomax #249 breaks even when it gems about 38% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $21.32).
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

![Browns Team Leaders [Kosar Lets It Go] #85 1988 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/G2cAAOSwCNhkRYSw/s-l500.jpg)

