Is James Lofton #218 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1986 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 53× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 James Lofton #218 sells for $158 against $2.99 raw: a $155 spread, 53× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.00) 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)
- $2.99
- PSA 10
- $158
- PSA 9
- $25.00
- Gem premium
- 53×
- 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 | $158 | +$130 | +$105 | +$5.31 |
| PSA 9 | $25.00 | −$2.99 | −$27.99 | −$128 |
| PSA 8 | $11.00 | −$16.99 | −$41.99 | −$142 |
Net = sale price − $2.99 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% | $58.33 | +$5.34 |
| 50% | $91.65 | +$38.66 |
| 75% | $125 | +$71.99 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 21%. 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 | $206 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $158 | −$47.70 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $95.00 | −$111 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $95.00 | −$111 | 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 #218 — FAQ
Is James Lofton #218 worth grading?
A PSA 10 James Lofton #218 sells for $158 against $2.99 raw: a $155 spread, 53× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.00) 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 #218 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 James Lofton #218 (Football Cards 1986 Topps) sells for about $158 versus $2.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 53× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for James Lofton #218?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $206, ahead of PSA 10 at $158. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does James Lofton #218 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 #218 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting James Lofton #218 breaks even when it gems about 21% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $25.00).
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