Is Lancaster Gordon #18 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1984 Star · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Lancaster Gordon #18 sells for $513 against $7.40 raw: a $506 spread, 69× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($42.00) 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)
- $7.40
- PSA 10
- $513
- PSA 9
- $42.00
- Gem premium
- 69×
- 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 | $513 | +$481 | +$456 | +$356 |
| PSA 9 | $42.00 | +$9.60 | −$15.40 | −$115 |
| PSA 8 | $37.01 | +$4.61 | −$20.39 | −$120 |
Net = sale price − $7.40 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% | $160 | +$102 |
| 50% | $277 | +$220 |
| 75% | $395 | +$338 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 3%. 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 | $667 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $513 | −$154 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $308 | −$359 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $308 | −$359 | 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 Lancaster Gordon #18 — FAQ
Is Lancaster Gordon #18 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lancaster Gordon #18 sells for $513 against $7.40 raw: a $506 spread, 69× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($42.00) 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 Lancaster Gordon #18 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lancaster Gordon #18 (Basketball Cards 1984 Star) sells for about $513 versus $7.40 for a raw near-mint copy — a 69× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lancaster Gordon #18?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $667, ahead of PSA 10 at $513. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lancaster Gordon #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 Lancaster Gordon #18 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Lancaster Gordon #18 breaks even when it gems about 3% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $42.00).
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