Is Adrian Smith #97 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1969 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Adrian Smith #97 sells for $864 against $3.98 raw: a $860 spread, 217× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($720) 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)
- $3.98
- PSA 10
- $864
- PSA 9
- $720
- Gem premium
- 217×
- 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 | $864 | +$835 | +$810 | +$710 |
| PSA 9 | $720 | +$691 | +$666 | +$566 |
| PSA 8 | $75.78 | +$46.80 | +$21.80 | −$78.20 |
Net = sale price − $3.98 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% | $756 | +$702 |
| 50% | $792 | +$738 |
| 75% | $828 | +$774 |
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 | $1,123 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $864 | −$259 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $518 | −$605 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $518 | −$605 | 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 Adrian Smith #97 — FAQ
Is Adrian Smith #97 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Adrian Smith #97 sells for $864 against $3.98 raw: a $860 spread, 217× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($720) 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 Adrian Smith #97 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Adrian Smith #97 (Basketball Cards 1969 Topps) sells for about $864 versus $3.98 for a raw near-mint copy — a 217× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Adrian Smith #97?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,123, ahead of PSA 10 at $864. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Adrian Smith #97 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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