Is Tom Meschery #19 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1969 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Tom Meschery #19 sells for $3,808 against $5.04 raw: a $3,803 spread, 756× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($3,173) 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)
- $5.04
- PSA 10
- $3,808
- PSA 9
- $3,173
- Gem premium
- 756×
- 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 | $3,808 | +$3,778 | +$3,753 | +$3,653 |
| PSA 9 | $3,173 | +$3,143 | +$3,118 | +$3,018 |
| PSA 8 | $121 | +$90.76 | +$65.76 | −$34.24 |
Net = sale price − $5.04 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% | $3,332 | +$3,277 |
| 50% | $3,491 | +$3,435 |
| 75% | $3,649 | +$3,594 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $4,950 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $3,808 | −$1,142 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $2,285 | −$2,665 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $2,285 | −$2,665 | 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 Tom Meschery #19 — FAQ
Is Tom Meschery #19 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tom Meschery #19 sells for $3,808 against $5.04 raw: a $3,803 spread, 756× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($3,173) 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 Tom Meschery #19 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tom Meschery #19 (Basketball Cards 1969 Topps) sells for about $3,808 versus $5.04 for a raw near-mint copy — a 756× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tom Meschery #19?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $4,950, ahead of PSA 10 at $3,808. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tom Meschery #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.
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