Is Alvan Adams #38 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1984 Star · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Alvan Adams #38 sells for $394 against $5.57 raw: a $388 spread, 71× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($42.99) 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)
- $5.57
- PSA 10
- $394
- PSA 9
- $42.99
- Gem premium
- 71×
- 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 | $394 | +$363 | +$338 | +$238 |
| PSA 9 | $42.99 | +$12.42 | −$12.58 | −$113 |
| PSA 8 | $29.12 | −$1.45 | −$26.45 | −$126 |
Net = sale price − $5.57 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% | $131 | +$75.19 |
| 50% | $219 | +$163 |
| 75% | $306 | +$251 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 4%. 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 | $512 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $394 | −$118 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $236 | −$276 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $236 | −$276 | 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 Alvan Adams #38 — FAQ
Is Alvan Adams #38 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Alvan Adams #38 sells for $394 against $5.57 raw: a $388 spread, 71× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($42.99) 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 Alvan Adams #38 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Alvan Adams #38 (Basketball Cards 1984 Star) sells for about $394 versus $5.57 for a raw near-mint copy — a 71× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Alvan Adams #38?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $512, ahead of PSA 10 at $394. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Alvan Adams #38 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 Alvan Adams #38 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Alvan Adams #38 breaks even when it gems about 4% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $42.99).
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