Is Larry Bird #SQ-3 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2008 Upper Deck Starquest · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 13× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Larry Bird #SQ-3 sells for $49.18 against $3.79 raw: a $45.39 spread, 13× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($16.24) 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)
- $3.79
- PSA 10
- $49.18
- PSA 9
- $16.24
- Gem premium
- 13×
- 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 | $49.18 | +$20.39 | −$4.61 | −$105 |
| PSA 9 | $16.24 | −$12.55 | −$37.55 | −$138 |
| PSA 8 | $9.01 | −$19.78 | −$44.78 | −$145 |
Net = sale price − $3.79 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% | $24.48 | −$29.31 |
| 50% | $32.71 | −$21.08 |
| 75% | $40.95 | −$12.84 |
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 | $64.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $49.18 | −$14.82 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $30.00 | −$34.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $30.00 | −$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 2008 Upper Deck Starquest cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![LeBron James [Gold] #SQ-17 2008 Upper Deck Starquest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/nn0AAeSw8fBqWhbH/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Blue] #SQ-5 2008 Upper Deck Starquest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/wgQAAOSwOkFieo95/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Cyan] #SQ-20 2008 Upper Deck Starquest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/OzcAAeSwVD9qt7Kw/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Gold] #SQ-5 2008 Upper Deck Starquest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/MJsAAeSwf79qYNca/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Blue] #SQ-20 2008 Upper Deck Starquest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/fxcAAeSwzMJplQPd/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Larry Bird #SQ-3 — FAQ
Is Larry Bird #SQ-3 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Larry Bird #SQ-3 sells for $49.18 against $3.79 raw: a $45.39 spread, 13× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($16.24) 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 #SQ-3 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Larry Bird #SQ-3 (Basketball Cards 2008 Upper Deck Starquest) sells for about $49.18 versus $3.79 for a raw near-mint copy — a 13× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Larry Bird #SQ-3?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $64.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $49.18. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Larry Bird #SQ-3 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.
