Is Head of the Class worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1991 Hoops · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Head of the Class sells for $231 against $15.25 raw: a $215 spread, 15× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($57.00) 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)
- $15.25
- PSA 10
- $231
- PSA 9
- $57.00
- 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 | $231 | +$190 | +$165 | +$65.25 |
| PSA 9 | $57.00 | +$16.75 | −$8.25 | −$108 |
| PSA 8 | $51.46 | +$11.21 | −$13.79 | −$114 |
Net = sale price − $15.25 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% | $100 | +$35.13 |
| 50% | $144 | +$78.50 |
| 75% | $187 | +$122 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 5%. 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 | $300 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $231 | −$69.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $138 | −$162 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $138 | −$162 | 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 Head of the Class — FAQ
Is Head of the Class worth grading?
A PSA 10 Head of the Class sells for $231 against $15.25 raw: a $215 spread, 15× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($57.00) 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 Head of the Class worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Head of the Class (Basketball Cards 1991 Hoops) sells for about $231 versus $15.25 for a raw near-mint copy — a 15× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Head of the Class?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $300, ahead of PSA 10 at $231. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Head of the Class 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 Head of the Class break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Head of the Class breaks even when it gems about 5% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $57.00).
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