![Cazzie Russell [White Back] #59 (Basketball Cards 1977 Topps) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/he8AAeSw149qUIgZ/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Cazzie Russell [White Back] #59 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1977 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Cazzie Russell [White Back] #59 sells for $170 against $1.49 raw: a $168 spread, 114× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($31.43) 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)
- $1.49
- PSA 10
- $170
- PSA 9
- $31.43
- Gem premium
- 114×
- 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 | $170 | +$143 | +$118 | +$18.12 |
| PSA 9 | $31.43 | +$4.94 | −$20.06 | −$120 |
| PSA 8 | $23.25 | −$3.24 | −$28.24 | −$128 |
Net = sale price − $1.49 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% | $65.97 | +$14.48 |
| 50% | $101 | +$49.03 |
| 75% | $135 | +$83.57 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 15%. 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 | $220 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $170 | −$50.39 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $102 | −$118 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $102 | −$118 | 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 | $170 | $102 | $220 | $102 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $57.63 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $31.43 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $23.25 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1977 Topps cards worth checking
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Grading Cazzie Russell [White Back] #59 — FAQ
Is Cazzie Russell [White Back] #59 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Cazzie Russell [White Back] #59 sells for $170 against $1.49 raw: a $168 spread, 114× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($31.43) 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 Cazzie Russell [White Back] #59 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Cazzie Russell [White Back] #59 (Basketball Cards 1977 Topps) sells for about $170 versus $1.49 for a raw near-mint copy — a 114× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Cazzie Russell [White Back] #59?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $220, ahead of PSA 10 at $170. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Cazzie Russell [White Back] #59 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 Cazzie Russell [White Back] #59 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Cazzie Russell [White Back] #59 breaks even when it gems about 15% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $31.43).
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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