Is Pat Cummings #51 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1983 Star · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Pat Cummings #51 sells for $5,646 against $82.54 raw: a $5,564 spread, 68× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($886) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $82.54
- PSA 10
- $5,646
- PSA 9
- $886
- Gem premium
- 68×
- 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 | $5,646 | +$5,539 | +$5,514 | +$5,414 |
| PSA 9 | $886 | +$779 | +$754 | +$654 |
| PSA 8 | $317 | +$210 | +$185 | +$84.90 |
Net = sale price − $82.54 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% | $2,076 | +$1,944 |
| 50% | $3,266 | +$3,134 |
| 75% | $4,456 | +$4,324 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $7,340 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $5,646 | −$1,694 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $3,388 | −$3,952 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $3,388 | −$3,952 | 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 Pat Cummings #51 — FAQ
Is Pat Cummings #51 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Pat Cummings #51 sells for $5,646 against $82.54 raw: a $5,564 spread, 68× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($886) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Pat Cummings #51 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Pat Cummings #51 (Basketball Cards 1983 Star) sells for about $5,646 versus $82.54 for a raw near-mint copy — a 68× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Pat Cummings #51?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $7,340, ahead of PSA 10 at $5,646. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Pat Cummings #51 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.
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