Is Magic Johnson, Larry Bird #SS12 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1993 Skybox Premium Showdown Series · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Magic Johnson, Larry Bird #SS12 sells for $150 against $2.00 raw: a $148 spread, 75× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($52.28) 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)
- $2.00
- PSA 10
- $150
- PSA 9
- $52.28
- Gem premium
- 75×
- 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 | $150 | +$123 | +$98.00 | −$2.00 |
| PSA 9 | $52.28 | +$25.28 | +$0.28 | −$99.72 |
| PSA 8 | $21.41 | −$5.59 | −$30.59 | −$131 |
Net = sale price − $2.00 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% | $76.71 | +$24.71 |
| 50% | $101 | +$49.14 |
| 75% | $126 | +$73.57 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $195 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $150 | −$45.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $126 | −$69.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $79.99 | −$115 | 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 Magic Johnson, Larry Bird #SS12 — FAQ
Is Magic Johnson, Larry Bird #SS12 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Magic Johnson, Larry Bird #SS12 sells for $150 against $2.00 raw: a $148 spread, 75× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($52.28) 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 Magic Johnson, Larry Bird #SS12 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Magic Johnson, Larry Bird #SS12 (Basketball Cards 1993 Skybox Premium Showdown Series) sells for about $150 versus $2.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 75× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Magic Johnson, Larry Bird #SS12?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $195, ahead of PSA 10 at $150. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Magic Johnson, Larry Bird #SS12 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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