Is Paul Arizin #53 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Stars · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 63× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Paul Arizin #53 sells for $54.12 against $0.86 raw: a $53.26 spread, 63× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.13) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $0.86
- PSA 10
- $54.12
- PSA 9
- $14.13
- Gem premium
- 63×
- 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 | $54.12 | +$28.26 | +$3.26 | −$96.74 |
| PSA 9 | $14.13 | −$11.73 | −$36.73 | −$137 |
| PSA 8 | $6.98 | −$18.88 | −$43.88 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $0.86 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% | $24.13 | −$26.73 |
| 50% | $34.13 | −$16.73 |
| 75% | $44.12 | −$6.74 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 92%. 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 | $70.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $54.12 | −$15.88 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $32.00 | −$38.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $32.00 | −$38.00 | 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 Paul Arizin #53 — FAQ
Is Paul Arizin #53 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Paul Arizin #53 sells for $54.12 against $0.86 raw: a $53.26 spread, 63× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.13) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Paul Arizin #53 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Paul Arizin #53 (Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Stars) sells for about $54.12 versus $0.86 for a raw near-mint copy — a 63× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Paul Arizin #53?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $70.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $54.12. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Paul Arizin #53 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 Paul Arizin #53 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Paul Arizin #53 breaks even when it gems about 92% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $14.13).
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