Is Willis Reed #87 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Stars · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 44× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Willis Reed #87 sells for $82.49 against $1.87 raw: a $80.62 spread, 44× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.98) 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)
- $1.87
- PSA 10
- $82.49
- PSA 9
- $18.98
- Gem premium
- 44×
- 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 | $82.49 | +$55.62 | +$30.62 | −$69.38 |
| PSA 9 | $18.98 | −$7.89 | −$32.89 | −$133 |
| PSA 8 | $9.31 | −$17.56 | −$42.56 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $1.87 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% | $34.86 | −$17.01 |
| 50% | $50.73 | −$1.13 |
| 75% | $66.61 | +$14.74 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 52%. 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 | $107 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $82.49 | −$24.51 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $49.00 | −$58.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $49.00 | −$58.00 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1996 Topps Stars cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
![Michael Jordan [Finest Refractor] #74 1996 Topps Stars card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/qwUAAeSwJEVosjeF/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Finest] #124 1996 Topps Stars card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/3PMAAeSwObdqYVub/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Finest Refractor] #24 1996 Topps Stars card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/nWoAAeSwFLNqkaSp/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Finest Atomic Refractor] #74 1996 Topps Stars card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/pVQAAeSw61hqm1z1/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Willis Reed #87 — FAQ
Is Willis Reed #87 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Willis Reed #87 sells for $82.49 against $1.87 raw: a $80.62 spread, 44× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.98) 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 Willis Reed #87 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Willis Reed #87 (Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Stars) sells for about $82.49 versus $1.87 for a raw near-mint copy — a 44× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Willis Reed #87?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $107, ahead of PSA 10 at $82.49. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Willis Reed #87 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 Willis Reed #87 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Willis Reed #87 breaks even when it gems about 52% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $18.98).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your basketball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
