Is Dirk Nowitzki #SQ-24 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2008 Upper Deck Starquest · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 25× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Dirk Nowitzki #SQ-24 sells for $92.78 against $3.77 raw: a $89.01 spread, 25× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($11.86) 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)
- $3.77
- PSA 10
- $92.78
- PSA 9
- $11.86
- Gem premium
- 25×
- 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 | $92.78 | +$64.01 | +$39.01 | −$60.99 |
| PSA 9 | $11.86 | −$16.91 | −$41.91 | −$142 |
| PSA 8 | $4.99 | −$23.78 | −$48.78 | −$149 |
Net = sale price − $3.77 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% | $32.09 | −$21.68 |
| 50% | $52.32 | −$1.45 |
| 75% | $72.55 | +$18.78 |
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 | $121 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $92.78 | −$28.22 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $56.00 | −$65.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $56.00 | −$65.00 | 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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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
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![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)
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Grading Dirk Nowitzki #SQ-24 — FAQ
Is Dirk Nowitzki #SQ-24 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dirk Nowitzki #SQ-24 sells for $92.78 against $3.77 raw: a $89.01 spread, 25× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($11.86) 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 Dirk Nowitzki #SQ-24 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dirk Nowitzki #SQ-24 (Basketball Cards 2008 Upper Deck Starquest) sells for about $92.78 versus $3.77 for a raw near-mint copy — a 25× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dirk Nowitzki #SQ-24?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $121, ahead of PSA 10 at $92.78. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dirk Nowitzki #SQ-24 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 Dirk Nowitzki #SQ-24 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Dirk Nowitzki #SQ-24 breaks even when it gems about 52% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $11.86).
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