Is Cedric Coward [Aqua Basketball Refractor] #261 worth grading?
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Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Cedric Coward [Aqua Basketball Refractor] #261 sells for $149 against $26.70 raw: a $122 spread, 5.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($61.24) 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)
- $26.70
- PSA 10
- $149
- PSA 9
- $61.24
- Gem premium
- 5.6×
- As of
- Sep 2, 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 | $149 | +$96.80 | +$71.80 | −$28.20 |
| PSA 9 | $61.24 | +$9.54 | −$15.46 | −$115 |
| PSA 8 | $29.74 | −$21.96 | −$46.96 | −$147 |
Net = sale price − $26.70 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% | $83.06 | +$6.36 |
| 50% | $105 | +$28.17 |
| 75% | $127 | +$49.98 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 18%. 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 | $193 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $149 | −$44.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $89.00 | −$104 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $89.00 | −$104 | 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 Cedric Coward [Aqua Basketball Refractor] #261 — FAQ
Is Cedric Coward [Aqua Basketball Refractor] #261 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Cedric Coward [Aqua Basketball Refractor] #261 sells for $149 against $26.70 raw: a $122 spread, 5.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($61.24) 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 Cedric Coward [Aqua Basketball Refractor] #261 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Cedric Coward [Aqua Basketball Refractor] #261 (Basketball Cards 2025 Topps Chrome) sells for about $149 versus $26.70 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.6× premium as of Sep 2, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Cedric Coward [Aqua Basketball Refractor] #261?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $193, ahead of PSA 10 at $149. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Cedric Coward [Aqua Basketball Refractor] #261 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 Cedric Coward [Aqua Basketball Refractor] #261 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Cedric Coward [Aqua Basketball Refractor] #261 breaks even when it gems about 18% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $61.24).
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