Is Sam Perkins #M8 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Metal Decade of Excellence · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Sam Perkins #M8 sells for $282 against $8.99 raw: a $273 spread, 31× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($53.12) 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)
- $8.99
- PSA 10
- $282
- PSA 9
- $53.12
- Gem premium
- 31×
- 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 | $282 | +$248 | +$223 | +$123 |
| PSA 9 | $53.12 | +$19.13 | −$5.87 | −$106 |
| PSA 8 | $25.70 | −$8.29 | −$33.29 | −$133 |
Net = sale price − $8.99 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% | $110 | +$51.35 |
| 50% | $168 | +$109 |
| 75% | $225 | +$166 |
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 | $367 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $282 | −$85.01 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $169 | −$198 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $169 | −$198 | 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 Sam Perkins #M8 — FAQ
Is Sam Perkins #M8 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Sam Perkins #M8 sells for $282 against $8.99 raw: a $273 spread, 31× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($53.12) 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 Sam Perkins #M8 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Sam Perkins #M8 (Basketball Cards 1996 Metal Decade of Excellence) sells for about $282 versus $8.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 31× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Sam Perkins #M8?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $367, ahead of PSA 10 at $282. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Sam Perkins #M8 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 Sam Perkins #M8 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Sam Perkins #M8 breaks even when it gems about 3% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $53.12).
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