Is Earl Boykins #49 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2004 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 22× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Earl Boykins #49 sells for $64.34 against $2.95 raw: a $61.39 spread, 22× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.00) 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)
- $2.95
- PSA 10
- $64.34
- PSA 9
- $25.00
- Gem premium
- 22×
- 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 | $64.34 | +$36.39 | +$11.39 | −$88.61 |
| PSA 9 | $25.00 | −$2.95 | −$27.95 | −$128 |
| PSA 8 | $9.08 | −$18.87 | −$43.87 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $2.95 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% | $34.84 | −$18.11 |
| 50% | $44.67 | −$8.28 |
| 75% | $54.51 | +$1.55 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 71%. 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 | $84.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $64.34 | −$19.66 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $39.00 | −$45.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $39.00 | −$45.00 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $64.34 | $39.00 | $84.00 | $39.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $30.33 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $25.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $9.08 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2004 Topps Chrome cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Carmelo Anthony [Gold Refractor] #15 2004 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ksgAAeSw0iNqS~7-/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Refractor] #8 2004 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/nI4AAeSwZl5qVwYF/s-l500.jpg)
![Dwight Howard [Gold Refractor] #166 2004 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/tHYAAeSwIaRplWaU/s-l500.jpg)
![Tim Duncan [Gold Refractor] #50 2004 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/kPgAAeSw~cFpilSs/s-l500.jpg)
![LeBron James [Xfractor] #23 2004 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/JNcAAeSw5YRqRH2T/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Earl Boykins #49 — FAQ
Is Earl Boykins #49 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Earl Boykins #49 sells for $64.34 against $2.95 raw: a $61.39 spread, 22× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.00) 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 Earl Boykins #49 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Earl Boykins #49 (Basketball Cards 2004 Topps Chrome) sells for about $64.34 versus $2.95 for a raw near-mint copy — a 22× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Earl Boykins #49?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $84.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $64.34. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Earl Boykins #49 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 Earl Boykins #49 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Earl Boykins #49 breaks even when it gems about 71% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $25.00).
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.
Check my card free