Is Billy Cunningham [Finest Atomic Refractor] #12 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Stars · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Billy Cunningham [Finest Atomic Refractor] #12 sells for $472 against $15.74 raw: a $456 spread, 30× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($85.62) 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)
- $15.74
- PSA 10
- $472
- PSA 9
- $85.62
- Gem premium
- 30×
- 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 | $472 | +$431 | +$406 | +$306 |
| PSA 9 | $85.62 | +$44.88 | +$19.88 | −$80.12 |
| PSA 8 | $41.29 | +$0.55 | −$24.45 | −$124 |
Net = sale price − $15.74 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% | $182 | +$116 |
| 50% | $279 | +$213 |
| 75% | $375 | +$310 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $614 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $472 | −$142 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $283 | −$331 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $283 | −$331 | 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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Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
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Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Billy Cunningham [Finest Atomic Refractor] #12 — FAQ
Is Billy Cunningham [Finest Atomic Refractor] #12 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Billy Cunningham [Finest Atomic Refractor] #12 sells for $472 against $15.74 raw: a $456 spread, 30× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($85.62) 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 Billy Cunningham [Finest Atomic Refractor] #12 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Billy Cunningham [Finest Atomic Refractor] #12 (Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Stars) sells for about $472 versus $15.74 for a raw near-mint copy — a 30× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Billy Cunningham [Finest Atomic Refractor] #12?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $614, ahead of PSA 10 at $472. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Billy Cunningham [Finest Atomic Refractor] #12 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.
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