Is Joe Smith #RC9 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Upper Deck Records Collection · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Joe Smith #RC9 sells for $234 against $7.12 raw: a $227 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($45.47) 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)
- $7.12
- PSA 10
- $234
- PSA 9
- $45.47
- 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 | $234 | +$202 | +$177 | +$77.31 |
| PSA 9 | $45.47 | +$13.35 | −$11.65 | −$112 |
| PSA 8 | $22.30 | −$9.82 | −$34.82 | −$135 |
Net = sale price − $7.12 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% | $92.71 | +$35.59 |
| 50% | $140 | +$82.83 |
| 75% | $187 | +$130 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 6%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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 | $305 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $234 | −$70.57 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $141 | −$164 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $141 | −$164 | 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 Joe Smith #RC9 — FAQ
Is Joe Smith #RC9 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Joe Smith #RC9 sells for $234 against $7.12 raw: a $227 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($45.47) 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 Joe Smith #RC9 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Joe Smith #RC9 (Basketball Cards 1997 Upper Deck Records Collection) sells for about $234 versus $7.12 for a raw near-mint copy — a 33× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Joe Smith #RC9?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $305, ahead of PSA 10 at $234. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Joe Smith #RC9 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.
What gem rate makes grading Joe Smith #RC9 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Joe Smith #RC9 breaks even when it gems about 6% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $45.47).
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