Is Complete Set worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1979 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Complete Set sells for $549 against $224 raw: a $325 spread, 2.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($499) 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)
- $224
- Grade 9.5
- $549
- PSA 9
- $499
- Gem premium
- 2.4×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $549 | +$300 | +$275 | +$175 |
| PSA 9 | $499 | +$250 | +$225 | +$125 |
Net = sale price − $224 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% | $512 | +$237 |
| 50% | $524 | +$250 |
| 75% | $537 | +$262 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading Complete Set — FAQ
Is Complete Set worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Complete Set sells for $549 against $224 raw: a $325 spread, 2.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($499) 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.
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