
Is Magic Johnson / James Worthy #V worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1991 Skybox · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 56× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Magic Johnson / James Worthy #V sells for $127 against $2.28 raw: a $125 spread, 56× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.78) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $2.28
- PSA 10
- $127
- PSA 9
- $25.78
- Gem premium
- 56×
- 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 | $127 | +$99.72 | +$74.72 | −$25.28 |
| PSA 9 | $25.78 | −$1.50 | −$26.50 | −$127 |
| PSA 8 | $12.10 | −$15.18 | −$40.18 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $2.28 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% | $51.09 | −$1.20 |
| 50% | $76.39 | +$24.11 |
| 75% | $102 | +$49.41 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 26%. 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 | $165 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $127 | −$38.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $76.00 | −$89.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $76.00 | −$89.00 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1991 Skybox cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Magic Johnson / James Worthy #V — FAQ
Is Magic Johnson / James Worthy #V worth grading?
A PSA 10 Magic Johnson / James Worthy #V sells for $127 against $2.28 raw: a $125 spread, 56× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.78) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Magic Johnson / James Worthy #V worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Magic Johnson / James Worthy #V (Basketball Cards 1991 Skybox) sells for about $127 versus $2.28 for a raw near-mint copy — a 56× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Magic Johnson / James Worthy #V?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $165, ahead of PSA 10 at $127. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Magic Johnson / James Worthy #V 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 Magic Johnson / James Worthy #V break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Magic Johnson / James Worthy #V breaks even when it gems about 26% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $25.78).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your basketball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.

