Is Willie Aikens #220 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1981 Donruss · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Willie Aikens #220 sell for $9.00, only $7.70 above the $1.30 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($8.59) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.30
- Grade 9.5
- $9.00
- PSA 9
- $8.59
- Gem premium
- 6.9×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $9.00 | −$17.30 | −$42.30 | −$142 |
| PSA 9 | $8.59 | −$17.71 | −$42.71 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $1.30 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% | $8.69 | −$42.61 |
| 50% | $8.79 | −$42.51 |
| 75% | $8.90 | −$42.40 |
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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Grading Willie Aikens #220 — FAQ
Is Willie Aikens #220 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Willie Aikens #220 sell for $9.00, only $7.70 above the $1.30 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($8.59) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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