Is Don May #96 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1972 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Don May #96 sells for $208 against $1.50 raw: a $206 spread, 138× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($36.50) 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)
- $1.50
- PSA 10
- $208
- PSA 9
- $36.50
- Gem premium
- 138×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $208 | +$181 | +$156 | +$56.19 |
| PSA 9 | $36.50 | +$10.00 | −$15.00 | −$115 |
| PSA 8 | $16.50 | −$10.00 | −$35.00 | −$135 |
Net = sale price − $1.50 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% | $79.30 | +$27.80 |
| 50% | $122 | +$70.59 |
| 75% | $165 | +$113 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 9%. 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 | $270 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $208 | −$62.31 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $125 | −$145 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $125 | −$145 | 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 Don May #96 — FAQ
Is Don May #96 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Don May #96 sells for $208 against $1.50 raw: a $206 spread, 138× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($36.50) 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 Don May #96 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Don May #96 (Basketball Cards 1972 Topps) sells for about $208 versus $1.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 138× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Don May #96?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $270, ahead of PSA 10 at $208. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Don May #96 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 Don May #96 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Don May #96 breaks even when it gems about 9% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $36.50).
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