Is Yao Ming #52 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2002 Topps Pristine · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Yao Ming #52 sells for $72.68 against $21.69 raw: a $50.99 spread, 3.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($55.93) 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)
- $21.69
- PSA 10
- $72.68
- PSA 9
- $55.93
- Gem premium
- 3.4×
- 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 | $72.68 | +$25.99 | +$0.99 | −$99.01 |
| PSA 9 | $55.93 | +$9.24 | −$15.76 | −$116 |
| PSA 8 | $31.12 | −$15.57 | −$40.57 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $21.69 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% | $60.12 | −$11.57 |
| 50% | $64.31 | −$7.38 |
| 75% | $68.49 | −$3.20 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 94%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | $72.68 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| BGS 10 | $59.30 | −$13.38 | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| CGC 10 | $44.00 | −$28.68 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $44.00 | −$28.68 | 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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Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Yao Ming #52 — FAQ
Is Yao Ming #52 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Yao Ming #52 sells for $72.68 against $21.69 raw: a $50.99 spread, 3.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($55.93) 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 Yao Ming #52 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Yao Ming #52 (Basketball Cards 2002 Topps Pristine) sells for about $72.68 versus $21.69 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3.4× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Yao Ming #52?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $72.68, ahead of BGS 10 at $59.30. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Yao Ming #52 need for a PSA 10?
PSA publishes 55/45 front and 75/25 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 Yao Ming #52 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Yao Ming #52 breaks even when it gems about 94% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $55.93).
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