Is Tim Duncan #59 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2003 Ultra Gold Medallion · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 21× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Tim Duncan #59 sells for $85.18 against $4.09 raw: a $81.09 spread, 21× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.00) 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)
- $4.09
- PSA 10
- $85.18
- PSA 9
- $21.00
- Gem premium
- 21×
- 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 | $85.18 | +$56.09 | +$31.09 | −$68.91 |
| PSA 9 | $21.00 | −$8.09 | −$33.09 | −$133 |
| PSA 8 | $10.99 | −$18.10 | −$43.10 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $4.09 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% | $37.05 | −$17.05 |
| 50% | $53.09 | −$1.00 |
| 75% | $69.14 | +$15.05 |
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 | $111 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $85.18 | −$25.82 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $51.00 | −$60.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $51.00 | −$60.00 | 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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Grading Tim Duncan #59 — FAQ
Is Tim Duncan #59 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tim Duncan #59 sells for $85.18 against $4.09 raw: a $81.09 spread, 21× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.00) 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 Tim Duncan #59 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tim Duncan #59 (Basketball Cards 2003 Ultra Gold Medallion) sells for about $85.18 versus $4.09 for a raw near-mint copy — a 21× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tim Duncan #59?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $111, ahead of PSA 10 at $85.18. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tim Duncan #59 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 Duncan #59 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tim Duncan #59 breaks even when it gems about 52% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $21.00).
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