Is Noa Essengue #HS-18 worth grading?
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Strong grading candidate — 5.5× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Noa Essengue #HS-18 sells for $119 against $21.56 raw: a $97.12 spread, 5.5× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($26.00) 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)
- $21.56
- PSA 10
- $119
- PSA 9
- $26.00
- Gem premium
- 5.5×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $119 | +$72.12 | +$47.12 | −$52.88 |
| PSA 9 | $26.00 | −$20.56 | −$45.56 | −$146 |
| PSA 8 | $24.08 | −$22.48 | −$47.48 | −$147 |
Net = sale price − $21.56 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% | $49.17 | −$22.39 |
| 50% | $72.34 | +$0.78 |
| 75% | $95.51 | +$23.95 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 49%. 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 | $154 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $119 | −$35.32 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $71.00 | −$83.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $71.00 | −$83.00 | 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 Noa Essengue #HS-18 — FAQ
Is Noa Essengue #HS-18 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Noa Essengue #HS-18 sells for $119 against $21.56 raw: a $97.12 spread, 5.5× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($26.00) 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 Noa Essengue #HS-18 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Noa Essengue #HS-18 (Basketball Cards 2025 Topps Hardwood Stars) sells for about $119 versus $21.56 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.5× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Noa Essengue #HS-18?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $154, ahead of PSA 10 at $119. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Noa Essengue #HS-18 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 Noa Essengue #HS-18 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Noa Essengue #HS-18 breaks even when it gems about 49% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $26.00).
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