Is Magic Johnson #XI worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1991 Hoops All-Star MVP's · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Magic Johnson #XI sell for $25.50, only $23.75 above the $1.75 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($14.99) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.75
- PSA 10
- $25.50
- PSA 9
- $14.99
- Gem premium
- 15×
- 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 | $25.50 | −$1.25 | −$26.25 | −$126 |
| PSA 9 | $14.99 | −$11.76 | −$36.76 | −$137 |
| PSA 8 | $12.50 | −$14.25 | −$39.25 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $1.75 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% | $17.62 | −$34.13 |
| 50% | $20.25 | −$31.50 |
| 75% | $22.87 | −$28.88 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $33.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $25.50 | −$7.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $15.00 | −$18.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $15.00 | −$18.00 | 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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Other 1991 Hoops All-Star MVP's cards worth checking
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Grading Magic Johnson #XI — FAQ
Is Magic Johnson #XI worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Magic Johnson #XI sell for $25.50, only $23.75 above the $1.75 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($14.99) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Magic Johnson #XI worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Magic Johnson #XI (Basketball Cards 1991 Hoops All-Star MVP's) sells for about $25.50 versus $1.75 for a raw near-mint copy — a 15× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Magic Johnson #XI?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $33.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $25.50. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Magic Johnson #XI 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.
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