Is Larry Bird #VT-LBD worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2021 Panini Contenders Veteran Ticket Autograph · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Larry Bird #VT-LBD sells for $269 against $162 raw: a $107 spread, 1.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($245) 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)
- $162
- Grade 9.5
- $269
- PSA 9
- $245
- Gem premium
- 1.7×
- 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 | $269 | +$81.51 | +$56.51 | −$43.49 |
| PSA 9 | $245 | +$57.01 | +$32.01 | −$67.99 |
| PSA 8 | $175 | −$12.49 | −$37.49 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $162 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% | $251 | +$38.13 |
| 50% | $257 | +$44.26 |
| 75% | $263 | +$50.38 |
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 Larry Bird #VT-LBD — FAQ
Is Larry Bird #VT-LBD worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Larry Bird #VT-LBD sells for $269 against $162 raw: a $107 spread, 1.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($245) 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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