Is Monta Ellis [Autograph] #161 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2005 Bowman · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Monta Ellis [Autograph] #161 sells for $160 against $12.25 raw: a $147 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($37.99) 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)
- $12.25
- PSA 10
- $160
- PSA 9
- $37.99
- Gem premium
- 13×
- 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 | $160 | +$122 | +$97.40 | −$2.60 |
| PSA 9 | $37.99 | +$0.74 | −$24.26 | −$124 |
| PSA 8 | $21.37 | −$15.88 | −$40.88 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $12.25 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% | $68.41 | +$6.16 |
| 50% | $98.82 | +$36.57 |
| 75% | $129 | +$66.99 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 20%. 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 | $208 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $160 | −$48.35 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $96.00 | −$112 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $96.00 | −$112 | 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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Full set checklist →Grading Monta Ellis [Autograph] #161 — FAQ
Is Monta Ellis [Autograph] #161 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Monta Ellis [Autograph] #161 sells for $160 against $12.25 raw: a $147 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($37.99) 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 Monta Ellis [Autograph] #161 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Monta Ellis [Autograph] #161 (Basketball Cards 2005 Bowman) sells for about $160 versus $12.25 for a raw near-mint copy — a 13× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Monta Ellis [Autograph] #161?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $208, ahead of PSA 10 at $160. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Monta Ellis [Autograph] #161 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 Monta Ellis [Autograph] #161 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Monta Ellis [Autograph] #161 breaks even when it gems about 20% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $37.99).
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