
Is USA Basketball #I worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1991 Skybox · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 USA Basketball #I sells for $637 against $2.54 raw: a $634 spread, 251× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.38) 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)
- $2.54
- PSA 10
- $637
- PSA 9
- $30.38
- Gem premium
- 251×
- 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 | $637 | +$609 | +$584 | +$484 |
| PSA 9 | $30.38 | +$2.84 | −$22.16 | −$122 |
| PSA 8 | $14.75 | −$12.79 | −$37.79 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $2.54 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% | $182 | +$129 |
| 50% | $334 | +$281 |
| 75% | $485 | +$433 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 4%. 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 | $828 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $637 | −$191 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $382 | −$446 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $382 | −$446 | 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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Other 1991 Skybox cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading USA Basketball #I — FAQ
Is USA Basketball #I worth grading?
A PSA 10 USA Basketball #I sells for $637 against $2.54 raw: a $634 spread, 251× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.38) 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 USA Basketball #I worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 USA Basketball #I (Basketball Cards 1991 Skybox) sells for about $637 versus $2.54 for a raw near-mint copy — a 251× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for USA Basketball #I?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $828, ahead of PSA 10 at $637. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does USA Basketball #I 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 USA Basketball #I break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting USA Basketball #I breaks even when it gems about 4% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $30.38).
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