Is Rich Kelley #231 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1984 Star · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Rich Kelley #231 sells for $618 against $8.96 raw: a $609 spread, 69× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($102) 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)
- $8.96
- PSA 10
- $618
- PSA 9
- $102
- Gem premium
- 69×
- 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 | $618 | +$584 | +$559 | +$459 |
| PSA 9 | $102 | +$68.19 | +$43.19 | −$56.81 |
| PSA 8 | $44.00 | +$10.04 | −$14.96 | −$115 |
Net = sale price − $8.96 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% | $231 | +$172 |
| 50% | $360 | +$301 |
| 75% | $489 | +$430 |
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 | $804 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $618 | −$186 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $371 | −$433 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $371 | −$433 | 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 Rich Kelley #231 — FAQ
Is Rich Kelley #231 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Rich Kelley #231 sells for $618 against $8.96 raw: a $609 spread, 69× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($102) 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 Rich Kelley #231 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Rich Kelley #231 (Basketball Cards 1984 Star) sells for about $618 versus $8.96 for a raw near-mint copy — a 69× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Rich Kelley #231?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $804, ahead of PSA 10 at $618. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Rich Kelley #231 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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