Is Larry Bird worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1988 Kenner Starting LineUp · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Larry Bird sells for $77.00 against $6.00 raw: a $71.00 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($69.75) 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)
- $6.00
- Grade 9.5
- $77.00
- PSA 9
- $69.75
- Gem premium
- 13×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $77.00 | +$46.00 | +$21.00 | −$79.00 |
| PSA 9 | $69.75 | +$38.75 | +$13.75 | −$86.25 |
| PSA 8 | $29.70 | −$1.30 | −$26.30 | −$126 |
Net = sale price − $6.00 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% | $71.56 | +$15.56 |
| 50% | $73.38 | +$17.38 |
| 75% | $75.19 | +$19.19 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $77.00 |
| 9 | $69.75 |
| 8 | $29.70 |
| 7 | $13.50 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Grading Larry Bird — FAQ
Is Larry Bird worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Larry Bird sells for $77.00 against $6.00 raw: a $71.00 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($69.75) 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.
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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