Is Larry Bird #26 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1983 Star · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Larry Bird #26 sells for $3,933 against $191 raw: a $3,742 spread, 21× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,500) 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)
- $191
- Grade 9.5
- $3,933
- PSA 9
- $2,500
- Gem premium
- 21×
- 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 | $3,933 | +$3,717 | +$3,692 | +$3,592 |
| PSA 9 | $2,500 | +$2,284 | +$2,259 | +$2,159 |
| PSA 8 | $1,776 | +$1,560 | +$1,535 | +$1,435 |
Net = sale price − $191 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% | $2,858 | +$2,617 |
| 50% | $3,216 | +$2,976 |
| 75% | $3,575 | +$3,334 |
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 | $3,933 |
| 9 | $2,500 |
| 8 | $1,776 |
| 7 | $495 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Grading Larry Bird #26 — FAQ
Is Larry Bird #26 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Larry Bird #26 sells for $3,933 against $191 raw: a $3,742 spread, 21× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,500) 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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