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 $248 against $3.38 raw: a $245 spread, 74× 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)
- $3.38
- PSA 10
- $248
- PSA 9
- $35.00
- Gem premium
- 74×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $248 | +$220 | +$195 | +$95.07 |
| PSA 9 | $35.00 | +$6.62 | −$18.38 | −$118 |
| PSA 8 | $22.50 | −$5.88 | −$30.88 | −$131 |
Net = sale price − $3.38 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% | $88.36 | +$34.98 |
| 50% | $142 | +$88.34 |
| 75% | $195 | +$142 |
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 | $323 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $248 | −$74.55 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $248 | $149 | $323 | $149 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $96.18 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $35.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $22.50 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $12.88 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Marvin Barnes #35 — FAQ
Is Marvin Barnes #35 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Marvin Barnes #35 sells for $248 against $3.38 raw: a $245 spread, 74× 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 $248 versus $3.38 for a raw near-mint copy — a 74× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Marvin Barnes #35?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $323, ahead of PSA 10 at $248. 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 9% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $35.00).
Is your basketball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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