Is Larry Bird #3 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1986 Star Best Of The Best · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Larry Bird #3 sells for $765 against $102 raw: a $663 spread, 7.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($300) 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)
- $102
- Grade 9.5
- $765
- PSA 9
- $300
- Gem premium
- 7.5×
- 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 | $765 | +$638 | +$613 | +$513 |
| PSA 9 | $300 | +$173 | +$148 | +$48.18 |
Net = sale price − $102 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% | $416 | +$264 |
| 50% | $532 | +$381 |
| 75% | $649 | +$497 |
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 #3 — FAQ
Is Larry Bird #3 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Larry Bird #3 sells for $765 against $102 raw: a $663 spread, 7.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($300) 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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