Is Elvin Hayes #40 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1977 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Elvin Hayes #40 sells for $2,440 against $3.19 raw: a $2,437 spread, 765× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.99) 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)
- $3.19
- PSA 10
- $2,440
- PSA 9
- $39.99
- Gem premium
- 765×
- 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 | $2,440 | +$2,412 | +$2,387 | +$2,287 |
| PSA 9 | $39.99 | +$11.80 | −$13.20 | −$113 |
| PSA 8 | $22.84 | −$5.35 | −$30.35 | −$130 |
Net = sale price − $3.19 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% | $640 | +$587 |
| 50% | $1,240 | +$1,187 |
| 75% | $1,840 | +$1,787 |
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 | $3,172 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $2,440 | −$732 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,464 | −$1,708 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,464 | −$1,708 | 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 Elvin Hayes #40 — FAQ
Is Elvin Hayes #40 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Elvin Hayes #40 sells for $2,440 against $3.19 raw: a $2,437 spread, 765× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.99) 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 Elvin Hayes #40 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Elvin Hayes #40 (Basketball Cards 1977 Topps) sells for about $2,440 versus $3.19 for a raw near-mint copy — a 765× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Elvin Hayes #40?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $3,172, ahead of PSA 10 at $2,440. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Elvin Hayes #40 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 Elvin Hayes #40 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Elvin Hayes #40 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $39.99).
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