Is Carmelo Anthony #SM-CA worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2025 Topps Chrome Stratospheric Signature · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Carmelo Anthony #SM-CA sells for $522 against $113 raw: a $409 spread, 4.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($150) 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)
- $113
- PSA 10
- $522
- PSA 9
- $150
- Gem premium
- 4.6×
- 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 | $522 | +$384 | +$359 | +$259 |
| PSA 9 | $150 | +$12.09 | −$12.91 | −$113 |
| PSA 8 | $106 | −$31.90 | −$56.90 | −$157 |
Net = sale price − $113 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% | $243 | +$80.01 |
| 50% | $336 | +$173 |
| 75% | $429 | +$266 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 3%. 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 | $678 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $522 | −$156 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $313 | −$365 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $313 | −$365 | 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 | $522 | $313 | $678 | $313 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $349 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $150 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $106 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2025 Topps Chrome Stratospheric Signature cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Carmelo Anthony [Refractor Gold] #SM-CA 2025 Topps Chrome Stratospheric Signature card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/7nQAAeSwogFqVYnr/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Carmelo Anthony #SM-CA — FAQ
Is Carmelo Anthony #SM-CA worth grading?
A PSA 10 Carmelo Anthony #SM-CA sells for $522 against $113 raw: a $409 spread, 4.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($150) 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 Carmelo Anthony #SM-CA worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Carmelo Anthony #SM-CA (Basketball Cards 2025 Topps Chrome Stratospheric Signature) sells for about $522 versus $113 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.6× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Carmelo Anthony #SM-CA?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $678, ahead of PSA 10 at $522. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Carmelo Anthony #SM-CA 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 Carmelo Anthony #SM-CA break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Carmelo Anthony #SM-CA breaks even when it gems about 3% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $150).
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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