Is Nolan Ryan [Gray Back] #20 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1980 Topps Superstar 5x7 Photos · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Nolan Ryan [Gray Back] #20 sell for $138, only $13.00 above the $125 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($125) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $125
- Grade 9.5
- $138
- PSA 9
- $125
- Gem premium
- 1.1×
- As of
- Sep 4, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — Grade 9.5 | $138 | −$12.00 | −$37.00 | −$137 |
| PSA 9 | $125 | −$25.00 | −$50.00 | −$150 |
| PSA 8 | $61.93 | −$88.07 | −$113 | −$213 |
Net = sale price − $125 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% | $128 | −$46.75 |
| 50% | $132 | −$43.50 |
| 75% | $135 | −$40.25 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1980 Topps Superstar 5x7 Photos cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Dave Parker [Gray Back] #17 1980 Topps Superstar 5x7 Photos card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/TkUAAeSwYxho~7jc/s-l500.jpg)
![Steve Garvey [Gray Back] #13 1980 Topps Superstar 5x7 Photos card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/LCYAAeSwau5orjUd/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Nolan Ryan [Gray Back] #20 — FAQ
Is Nolan Ryan [Gray Back] #20 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Nolan Ryan [Gray Back] #20 sell for $138, only $13.00 above the $125 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($125) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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