Is Larry Bird #78 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2011 SP Authentic · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 16× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Larry Bird #78 sells for $48.48 against $3.00 raw: a $45.48 spread, 16× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.99) 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)
- $3.00
- PSA 10
- $48.48
- PSA 9
- $20.99
- Gem premium
- 16×
- 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 | $48.48 | +$20.48 | −$4.52 | −$105 |
| PSA 9 | $20.99 | −$7.01 | −$32.01 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $3.00 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% | $27.86 | −$25.14 |
| 50% | $34.73 | −$18.27 |
| 75% | $41.61 | −$11.39 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $63.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $48.48 | −$14.52 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $29.00 | −$34.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $29.00 | −$34.00 | 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 2011 SP Authentic cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Kawhi Leonard [Autograph] #27 2011 SP Authentic card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/O5AAAeSwgB5pkM7E/s-l500.jpg)
![Kawhi Leonard [Autograph] #88 2011 SP Authentic card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/1B8AAeSwZB9qYUwD/s-l500.jpg)
![LeBron James [Autograph] #2 2011 SP Authentic card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Z2kAAOSw1X9geOny/s-l500.jpg)
![Kawhi Leonard [Autograph-Gold] #27 2011 SP Authentic card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/o4oAAeSwJnVp29AO/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Autograph] #1 2011 SP Authentic card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/aysAAeSwTF5qfyR5/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Larry Bird #78 — FAQ
Is Larry Bird #78 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Larry Bird #78 sells for $48.48 against $3.00 raw: a $45.48 spread, 16× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.99) 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 Larry Bird #78 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Larry Bird #78 (Basketball Cards 2011 SP Authentic) sells for about $48.48 versus $3.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 16× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Larry Bird #78?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $63.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $48.48. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Larry Bird #78 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.
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.
