Is Allen Leavell #19 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1985 Star · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Allen Leavell #19 sells for $230 against $3.25 raw: a $227 spread, 71× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($41.47) 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)
- $3.25
- PSA 10
- $230
- PSA 9
- $41.47
- Gem premium
- 71×
- 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 | $230 | +$202 | +$177 | +$76.87 |
| PSA 9 | $41.47 | +$13.22 | −$11.78 | −$112 |
| PSA 8 | $19.75 | −$8.50 | −$33.50 | −$134 |
Net = sale price − $3.25 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% | $88.63 | +$35.38 |
| 50% | $136 | +$82.55 |
| 75% | $183 | +$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 | $299 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $230 | −$68.88 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $138 | −$161 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $138 | −$161 | 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 Allen Leavell #19 — FAQ
Is Allen Leavell #19 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Allen Leavell #19 sells for $230 against $3.25 raw: a $227 spread, 71× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($41.47) 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 Allen Leavell #19 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Allen Leavell #19 (Basketball Cards 1985 Star) sells for about $230 versus $3.25 for a raw near-mint copy — a 71× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Allen Leavell #19?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $299, ahead of PSA 10 at $230. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Allen Leavell #19 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 Allen Leavell #19 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Allen Leavell #19 breaks even when it gems about 6% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $41.47).
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