Is Ricky Sobers [White Back] #42 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1977 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ricky Sobers [White Back] #42 sells for $35.00 against $1.36 raw: a $33.64 spread, 26× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.55) 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)
- $1.36
- PSA 10
- $35.00
- PSA 9
- $29.55
- Gem premium
- 26×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $35.00 | +$8.64 | −$16.36 | −$116 |
| PSA 9 | $29.55 | +$3.19 | −$21.81 | −$122 |
| PSA 8 | $12.96 | −$13.40 | −$38.40 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $1.36 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% | $30.91 | −$20.45 |
| 50% | $32.27 | −$19.09 |
| 75% | $33.64 | −$17.72 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $46.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $35.00 | −$11.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $21.00 | −$25.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $21.00 | −$25.00 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $35.00 | $21.00 | $46.00 | $21.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $34.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $29.55 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $12.96 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Grading Ricky Sobers [White Back] #42 — FAQ
Is Ricky Sobers [White Back] #42 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ricky Sobers [White Back] #42 sells for $35.00 against $1.36 raw: a $33.64 spread, 26× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.55) 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 Ricky Sobers [White Back] #42 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ricky Sobers [White Back] #42 (Basketball Cards 1977 Topps) sells for about $35.00 versus $1.36 for a raw near-mint copy — a 26× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ricky Sobers [White Back] #42?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $46.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $35.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ricky Sobers [White Back] #42 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.
Is your basketball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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