Is Dawn Staley #5 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Classic Sears Legends of the Final Four · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dawn Staley #5 sells for $187 against $5.65 raw: a $181 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($36.79) 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)
- $5.65
- PSA 10
- $187
- PSA 9
- $36.79
- Gem premium
- 33×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $187 | +$156 | +$131 | +$30.89 |
| PSA 9 | $36.79 | +$6.14 | −$18.86 | −$119 |
| PSA 8 | $17.86 | −$12.79 | −$37.79 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $5.65 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% | $74.23 | +$18.58 |
| 50% | $112 | +$56.01 |
| 75% | $149 | +$93.45 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 13%. 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 | $243 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $187 | −$56.46 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $112 | −$131 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $112 | −$131 | 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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Other 1996 Classic Sears Legends of the Final Four cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Dawn Staley #5 — FAQ
Is Dawn Staley #5 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dawn Staley #5 sells for $187 against $5.65 raw: a $181 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($36.79) 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 Dawn Staley #5 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dawn Staley #5 (Basketball Cards 1996 Classic Sears Legends of the Final Four) sells for about $187 versus $5.65 for a raw near-mint copy — a 33× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dawn Staley #5?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $243, ahead of PSA 10 at $187. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dawn Staley #5 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 Dawn Staley #5 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Dawn Staley #5 breaks even when it gems about 13% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $36.79).
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