Is Travis Mays #5 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1991 Fleer Rookie Sensations · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Travis Mays #5 sells for $141 against $1.64 raw: a $139 spread, 86× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($33.88) 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)
- $1.64
- PSA 10
- $141
- PSA 9
- $33.88
- Gem premium
- 86×
- 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 | $141 | +$114 | +$89.18 | −$10.82 |
| PSA 9 | $33.88 | +$7.24 | −$17.76 | −$118 |
| PSA 8 | $10.07 | −$16.57 | −$41.57 | −$142 |
Net = sale price − $1.64 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% | $60.62 | +$8.98 |
| 50% | $87.35 | +$35.71 |
| 75% | $114 | +$62.44 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 17%. 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 | $183 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $141 | −$42.18 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $84.00 | −$99.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $84.00 | −$99.00 | 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.
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Grading Travis Mays #5 — FAQ
Is Travis Mays #5 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Travis Mays #5 sells for $141 against $1.64 raw: a $139 spread, 86× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($33.88) 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 Travis Mays #5 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Travis Mays #5 (Basketball Cards 1991 Fleer Rookie Sensations) sells for about $141 versus $1.64 for a raw near-mint copy — a 86× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Travis Mays #5?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $183, ahead of PSA 10 at $141. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Travis Mays #5 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 Travis Mays #5 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Travis Mays #5 breaks even when it gems about 17% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $33.88).
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