Is Steve Smith #15 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1993 Topps Black Gold · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 33× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Steve Smith #15 sells for $48.73 against $1.49 raw: a $47.24 spread, 33× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($0.01) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.49
- PSA 10
- $48.73
- PSA 9
- $0.01
- Gem premium
- 33×
- 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 | $48.73 | +$22.24 | −$2.76 | −$103 |
| PSA 9 | $0.01 | −$26.48 | −$51.48 | −$151 |
Net = sale price − $1.49 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% | $12.19 | −$39.30 |
| 50% | $24.37 | −$27.12 |
| 75% | $36.55 | −$14.94 |
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 | $63.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $48.73 | −$14.27 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $29.00 | −$34.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $29.00 | −$34.00 | 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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Grading Steve Smith #15 — FAQ
Is Steve Smith #15 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Steve Smith #15 sells for $48.73 against $1.49 raw: a $47.24 spread, 33× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($0.01) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Steve Smith #15 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Steve Smith #15 (Basketball Cards 1993 Topps Black Gold) sells for about $48.73 versus $1.49 for a raw near-mint copy — a 33× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Steve Smith #15?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $63.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $48.73. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Steve Smith #15 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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