Is George Carter #197 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1972 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 George Carter #197 sells for $258 against $1.92 raw: a $256 spread, 134× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($49.32) 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)
- $1.92
- PSA 10
- $258
- PSA 9
- $49.32
- Gem premium
- 134×
- 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 | $258 | +$231 | +$206 | +$106 |
| PSA 9 | $49.32 | +$22.40 | −$2.60 | −$103 |
| PSA 8 | $16.85 | −$10.07 | −$35.07 | −$135 |
Net = sale price − $1.92 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% | $101 | +$49.45 |
| 50% | $153 | +$101 |
| 75% | $205 | +$154 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. 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 | $335 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $258 | −$77.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $155 | −$180 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $155 | −$180 | 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 George Carter #197 — FAQ
Is George Carter #197 worth grading?
A PSA 10 George Carter #197 sells for $258 against $1.92 raw: a $256 spread, 134× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($49.32) 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 George Carter #197 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 George Carter #197 (Basketball Cards 1972 Topps) sells for about $258 versus $1.92 for a raw near-mint copy — a 134× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for George Carter #197?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $335, ahead of PSA 10 at $258. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does George Carter #197 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 George Carter #197 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting George Carter #197 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $49.32).
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