Is Earl Monroe #45 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1978 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Earl Monroe #45 sells for $387 against $1.95 raw: a $385 spread, 198× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($43.06) 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)
- $1.95
- PSA 10
- $387
- PSA 9
- $43.06
- Gem premium
- 198×
- 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 | $387 | +$360 | +$335 | +$235 |
| PSA 9 | $43.06 | +$16.11 | −$8.89 | −$109 |
| PSA 8 | $25.99 | −$0.96 | −$25.96 | −$126 |
Net = sale price − $1.95 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% | $129 | +$77.09 |
| 50% | $215 | +$163 |
| 75% | $301 | +$249 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 3%. 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 | $503 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $387 | −$116 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $232 | −$271 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $232 | −$271 | 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 | $387 | $232 | $503 | $232 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $67.37 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $43.06 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $25.99 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $11.65 |
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 Earl Monroe #45 — FAQ
Is Earl Monroe #45 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Earl Monroe #45 sells for $387 against $1.95 raw: a $385 spread, 198× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($43.06) 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 Earl Monroe #45 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Earl Monroe #45 (Basketball Cards 1978 Topps) sells for about $387 versus $1.95 for a raw near-mint copy — a 198× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Earl Monroe #45?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $503, ahead of PSA 10 at $387. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Earl Monroe #45 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 Earl Monroe #45 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Earl Monroe #45 breaks even when it gems about 3% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $43.06).
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