Is Herm Gilliam #87 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1976 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Herm Gilliam #87 sells for $406 against $2.15 raw: a $404 spread, 189× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.99) 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)
- $2.15
- PSA 10
- $406
- PSA 9
- $29.99
- Gem premium
- 189×
- 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 | $406 | +$379 | +$354 | +$254 |
| PSA 9 | $29.99 | +$2.84 | −$22.16 | −$122 |
| PSA 8 | $15.07 | −$12.08 | −$37.08 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $2.15 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% | $124 | +$71.81 |
| 50% | $218 | +$166 |
| 75% | $312 | +$260 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 6%. 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 | $528 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $406 | −$122 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $244 | −$284 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $244 | −$284 | 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 | $406 | $244 | $528 | $244 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $69.90 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $29.99 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $15.07 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1976 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Herm Gilliam #87 — FAQ
Is Herm Gilliam #87 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Herm Gilliam #87 sells for $406 against $2.15 raw: a $404 spread, 189× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.99) 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 Herm Gilliam #87 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Herm Gilliam #87 (Basketball Cards 1976 Topps) sells for about $406 versus $2.15 for a raw near-mint copy — a 189× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Herm Gilliam #87?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $528, ahead of PSA 10 at $406. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Herm Gilliam #87 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 Herm Gilliam #87 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Herm Gilliam #87 breaks even when it gems about 6% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $29.99).
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.
Check my card free