Is Larry Bird #531 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1991 Skybox · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Larry Bird #531 sells for $94.39 against $1.72 raw: a $92.67 spread, 55× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.02) 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)
- $1.72
- PSA 10
- $94.39
- PSA 9
- $30.02
- Gem premium
- 55×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $94.39 | +$67.67 | +$42.67 | −$57.33 |
| PSA 9 | $30.02 | +$3.30 | −$21.70 | −$122 |
| PSA 8 | $15.00 | −$11.72 | −$36.72 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $1.72 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% | $46.11 | −$5.61 |
| 50% | $62.20 | +$10.48 |
| 75% | $78.30 | +$26.58 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 34%. 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 | $123 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $94.39 | −$28.61 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $25.88 | −$97.12 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $12.50 | −$111 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $94.39 | $12.50 | $123 | $25.88 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $33.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $30.02 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $15.00 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $10.00 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Larry Bird #531 — FAQ
Is Larry Bird #531 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Larry Bird #531 sells for $94.39 against $1.72 raw: a $92.67 spread, 55× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.02) 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 Larry Bird #531 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Larry Bird #531 (Basketball Cards 1991 Skybox) sells for about $94.39 versus $1.72 for a raw near-mint copy — a 55× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Larry Bird #531?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $123, ahead of PSA 10 at $94.39. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Larry Bird #531 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 Larry Bird #531 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Larry Bird #531 breaks even when it gems about 34% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $30.02).
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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