Is James Lofton #221 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1993 Ultra · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 58× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 James Lofton #221 sells for $102 against $1.74 raw: a $99.79 spread, 58× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($13.49) 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)
- $1.74
- PSA 10
- $102
- PSA 9
- $13.49
- Gem premium
- 58×
- 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 | $102 | +$74.79 | +$49.79 | −$50.21 |
| PSA 9 | $13.49 | −$13.25 | −$38.25 | −$138 |
| PSA 8 | $1.21 | −$25.53 | −$50.53 | −$151 |
Net = sale price − $1.74 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% | $35.50 | −$16.24 |
| 50% | $57.51 | +$5.77 |
| 75% | $79.52 | +$27.78 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 43%. 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 | $132 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $102 | −$30.47 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $61.00 | −$71.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $61.00 | −$71.00 | 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.
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Grading James Lofton #221 — FAQ
Is James Lofton #221 worth grading?
A PSA 10 James Lofton #221 sells for $102 against $1.74 raw: a $99.79 spread, 58× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($13.49) 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 James Lofton #221 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 James Lofton #221 (Football Cards 1993 Ultra) sells for about $102 versus $1.74 for a raw near-mint copy — a 58× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for James Lofton #221?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $132, ahead of PSA 10 at $102. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does James Lofton #221 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 James Lofton #221 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting James Lofton #221 breaks even when it gems about 43% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $13.49).
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