Is Tim Thomas #53 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2004 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 17× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Tim Thomas #53 sells for $98.17 against $5.64 raw: a $92.53 spread, 17× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.02) 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)
- $5.64
- PSA 10
- $98.17
- PSA 9
- $25.02
- Gem premium
- 17×
- 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 | $98.17 | +$67.53 | +$42.53 | −$57.47 |
| PSA 9 | $25.02 | −$5.62 | −$30.62 | −$131 |
| PSA 8 | $11.50 | −$19.14 | −$44.14 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $5.64 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% | $43.31 | −$12.33 |
| 50% | $61.59 | +$5.95 |
| 75% | $79.88 | +$24.24 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 42%. 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 | $128 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $98.17 | −$29.83 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $59.00 | −$69.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $59.00 | −$69.00 | 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 2004 Topps Chrome cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
![LeBron James [Refractor] #23 2004 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/gjIAAeSwhH5qo8rf/s-l500.jpg)
![Dwight Howard [Gold Refractor] #166 2004 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/tHYAAeSwIaRplWaU/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Refractor] #8 2004 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/nI4AAeSwZl5qVwYF/s-l500.jpg)
![LeBron James [Xfractor] #23 2004 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/JNcAAeSw5YRqRH2T/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Tim Thomas #53 — FAQ
Is Tim Thomas #53 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tim Thomas #53 sells for $98.17 against $5.64 raw: a $92.53 spread, 17× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.02) 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 Tim Thomas #53 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tim Thomas #53 (Basketball Cards 2004 Topps Chrome) sells for about $98.17 versus $5.64 for a raw near-mint copy — a 17× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tim Thomas #53?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $128, ahead of PSA 10 at $98.17. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tim Thomas #53 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 Tim Thomas #53 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tim Thomas #53 breaks even when it gems about 42% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $25.02).
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.
