Is Larry Bird #257 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2025 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 50× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Larry Bird #257 sells for $68.89 against $1.38 raw: a $67.51 spread, 50× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($16.13) 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)
- $1.38
- PSA 10
- $68.89
- PSA 9
- $16.13
- Gem premium
- 50×
- 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 | $68.89 | +$42.51 | +$17.51 | −$82.49 |
| PSA 9 | $16.13 | −$10.25 | −$35.25 | −$135 |
| PSA 8 | $7.49 | −$18.89 | −$43.89 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $1.38 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% | $29.32 | −$22.06 |
| 50% | $42.51 | −$8.87 |
| 75% | $55.70 | +$4.32 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 67%. 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 | $90.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $68.89 | −$21.11 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $41.00 | −$49.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $41.00 | −$49.00 | 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 Larry Bird #257 — FAQ
Is Larry Bird #257 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Larry Bird #257 sells for $68.89 against $1.38 raw: a $67.51 spread, 50× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($16.13) 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 Larry Bird #257 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Larry Bird #257 (Basketball Cards 2025 Topps) sells for about $68.89 versus $1.38 for a raw near-mint copy — a 50× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Larry Bird #257?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $90.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $68.89. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Larry Bird #257 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 Larry Bird #257 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Larry Bird #257 breaks even when it gems about 67% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $16.13).
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