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 $1.65 raw: a $385 spread, 235× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($53.55) 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)
- $1.65
- PSA 10
- $387
- PSA 9
- $53.55
- Gem premium
- 235×
- 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 | $387 | +$360 | +$335 | +$235 |
| PSA 9 | $53.55 | +$26.90 | +$1.90 | −$98.10 |
| PSA 8 | $24.37 | −$2.28 | −$27.28 | −$127 |
Net = sale price − $1.65 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% | $137 | +$85.26 |
| 50% | $220 | +$169 |
| 75% | $304 | +$252 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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.
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Grading Earl Monroe #45 — FAQ
Is Earl Monroe #45 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Earl Monroe #45 sells for $387 against $1.65 raw: a $385 spread, 235× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($53.55) 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 $1.65 for a raw near-mint copy — a 235× premium as of Sep 4, 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.
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