Is Tim Duncan #A14 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Chrome Apparitions · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Tim Duncan #A14 sells for $242 against $15.11 raw: a $227 spread, 16× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($45.63) 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)
- $15.11
- PSA 10
- $242
- PSA 9
- $45.63
- Gem premium
- 16×
- As of
- Sep 4, 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 | $242 | +$202 | +$177 | +$76.92 |
| PSA 9 | $45.63 | +$5.52 | −$19.48 | −$119 |
| PSA 8 | $26.28 | −$13.83 | −$38.83 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $15.11 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% | $94.73 | +$29.62 |
| 50% | $144 | +$78.72 |
| 75% | $193 | +$128 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 10%. 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 | $315 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $242 | −$72.97 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $145 | −$170 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $145 | −$170 | 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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Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Tim Duncan #A14 — FAQ
Is Tim Duncan #A14 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tim Duncan #A14 sells for $242 against $15.11 raw: a $227 spread, 16× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($45.63) 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 Tim Duncan #A14 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tim Duncan #A14 (Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Chrome Apparitions) sells for about $242 versus $15.11 for a raw near-mint copy — a 16× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tim Duncan #A14?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $315, ahead of PSA 10 at $242. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tim Duncan #A14 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 Tim Duncan #A14 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tim Duncan #A14 breaks even when it gems about 10% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $45.63).
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