Is Earl Monroe #73 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1975 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A CGC 10 Earl Monroe #73 sells for $3,300 against $3.25 raw: a $3,297 spread, 1015× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($468) 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)
- $3.25
- CGC 10
- $3,300
- PSA 9
- $468
- Gem premium
- 1015×
- 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 — CGC 10 | $3,300 | +$3,272 | +$3,247 | +$3,147 |
| PSA 9 | $468 | +$440 | +$415 | +$315 |
| PSA 8 | $55.38 | +$27.13 | +$2.13 | −$97.87 |
Net = sale price − $3.25 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% | $1,176 | +$1,123 |
| 50% | $1,884 | +$1,831 |
| 75% | $2,592 | +$2,539 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $3,300 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $3,300 | best | 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 Earl Monroe #73 — FAQ
Is Earl Monroe #73 worth grading?
A CGC 10 Earl Monroe #73 sells for $3,300 against $3.25 raw: a $3,297 spread, 1015× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($468) 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.
Which grading company is best for Earl Monroe #73?
By resale value, CGC 10 leads at $3,300, ahead of SGC 10 at $3,300. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Earl Monroe #73 need for a CGC 10?
CGC publishes 55/45 front and 75/25 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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