Is Marvin Barnes #35 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1976 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Marvin Barnes #35 sells for $249 against $2.99 raw: a $246 spread, 83× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.00) 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)
- $2.99
- PSA 10
- $249
- PSA 9
- $35.00
- Gem premium
- 83×
- 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 | $249 | +$221 | +$196 | +$95.54 |
| PSA 9 | $35.00 | +$7.01 | −$17.99 | −$118 |
| PSA 8 | $22.50 | −$5.49 | −$30.49 | −$130 |
Net = sale price − $2.99 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% | $88.38 | +$35.39 |
| 50% | $142 | +$88.77 |
| 75% | $195 | +$142 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 8%. 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 | $323 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $249 | −$74.47 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $149 | −$174 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $149 | −$174 | 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 Marvin Barnes #35 — FAQ
Is Marvin Barnes #35 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Marvin Barnes #35 sells for $249 against $2.99 raw: a $246 spread, 83× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.00) 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 Marvin Barnes #35 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Marvin Barnes #35 (Basketball Cards 1976 Topps) sells for about $249 versus $2.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 83× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Marvin Barnes #35?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $323, ahead of PSA 10 at $249. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Marvin Barnes #35 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 Marvin Barnes #35 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Marvin Barnes #35 breaks even when it gems about 8% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $35.00).
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