Is John Drew #44 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1978 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 John Drew #44 sells for $467 against $1.04 raw: a $466 spread, 449× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($27.64) 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)
- $1.04
- PSA 10
- $467
- PSA 9
- $27.64
- Gem premium
- 449×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $467 | +$441 | +$416 | +$316 |
| PSA 9 | $27.64 | +$1.60 | −$23.40 | −$123 |
| PSA 8 | $8.99 | −$17.05 | −$42.05 | −$142 |
Net = sale price − $1.04 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% | $138 | +$86.49 |
| 50% | $247 | +$196 |
| 75% | $357 | +$306 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 5%. 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 | $607 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $467 | −$140 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $280 | −$327 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $280 | −$327 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1978 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading John Drew #44 — FAQ
Is John Drew #44 worth grading?
A PSA 10 John Drew #44 sells for $467 against $1.04 raw: a $466 spread, 449× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($27.64) 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 John Drew #44 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 John Drew #44 (Basketball Cards 1978 Topps) sells for about $467 versus $1.04 for a raw near-mint copy — a 449× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for John Drew #44?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $607, ahead of PSA 10 at $467. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does John Drew #44 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 John Drew #44 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting John Drew #44 breaks even when it gems about 5% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $27.64).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your basketball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
