Is Larry Bird [Blue Refractor] #131 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2004 Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Larry Bird [Blue Refractor] #131 sells for $270 against $50.00 raw: a $220 spread, 5.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($225) 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)
- $50.00
- PSA 10
- $270
- PSA 9
- $225
- Gem premium
- 5.4×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $270 | +$195 | +$170 | +$70.00 |
| PSA 9 | $225 | +$150 | +$125 | +$24.99 |
| PSA 8 | $82.76 | +$7.76 | −$17.24 | −$117 |
Net = sale price − $50.00 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% | $236 | +$136 |
| 50% | $247 | +$147 |
| 75% | $259 | +$159 |
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 | $351 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $270 | −$81.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $162 | −$189 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $162 | −$189 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $270 | $162 | $351 | $162 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $247 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $225 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $82.76 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2004 Finest cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Oscar Robertson [XFractor] #134 2004 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PSIAAeSwmxRolP5L/s-l500.jpg)
![Wilt Chamberlain [XFractor] #146 2004 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/teUAAeSwknFqWZ6Y/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Red Refractor] #8 2004 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/SWwAAeSwK3lo2tCO/s-l500.jpg)
![George Gervin [XFractor] #132 2004 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/YN0AAOSwXSRoWajC/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Larry Bird [Blue Refractor] #131 — FAQ
Is Larry Bird [Blue Refractor] #131 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Larry Bird [Blue Refractor] #131 sells for $270 against $50.00 raw: a $220 spread, 5.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($225) 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 Larry Bird [Blue Refractor] #131 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Larry Bird [Blue Refractor] #131 (Basketball Cards 2004 Finest) sells for about $270 versus $50.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.4× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Larry Bird [Blue Refractor] #131?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $351, ahead of PSA 10 at $270. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Larry Bird [Blue Refractor] #131 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.
Is your basketball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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