Is John Lucas #246 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1983 Star · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 John Lucas #246 sells for $360 against $4.72 raw: a $356 spread, 76× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($53.71) 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)
- $4.72
- PSA 10
- $360
- PSA 9
- $53.71
- Gem premium
- 76×
- 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 | $360 | +$331 | +$306 | +$206 |
| PSA 9 | $53.71 | +$23.99 | −$1.01 | −$101 |
| PSA 8 | $18.67 | −$11.05 | −$36.05 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $4.72 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% | $130 | +$75.64 |
| 50% | $207 | +$152 |
| 75% | $284 | +$229 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 0%. 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 | $468 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $360 | −$108 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $216 | −$252 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $216 | −$252 | 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 John Lucas #246 — FAQ
Is John Lucas #246 worth grading?
A PSA 10 John Lucas #246 sells for $360 against $4.72 raw: a $356 spread, 76× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($53.71) 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 John Lucas #246 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 John Lucas #246 (Basketball Cards 1983 Star) sells for about $360 versus $4.72 for a raw near-mint copy — a 76× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for John Lucas #246?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $468, ahead of PSA 10 at $360. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does John Lucas #246 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 John Lucas #246 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting John Lucas #246 breaks even when it gems about 0% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $53.71).
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