Is Elmore Smith #57 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1978 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Elmore Smith #57 sells for $1,894 against $1.56 raw: a $1,892 spread, 1214× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($27.88) 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)
- $1.56
- PSA 10
- $1,894
- PSA 9
- $27.88
- Gem premium
- 1214×
- 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 | $1,894 | +$1,867 | +$1,842 | +$1,742 |
| PSA 9 | $27.88 | +$1.32 | −$23.68 | −$124 |
| PSA 8 | $10.49 | −$16.07 | −$41.07 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $1.56 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% | $494 | +$443 |
| 50% | $961 | +$909 |
| 75% | $1,427 | +$1,376 |
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 | $2,462 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,894 | −$568 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,136 | −$1,326 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,136 | −$1,326 | 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 | $1,894 | $1,136 | $2,462 | $1,136 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $57.48 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $27.88 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $10.49 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $2.12 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Grading Elmore Smith #57 — FAQ
Is Elmore Smith #57 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Elmore Smith #57 sells for $1,894 against $1.56 raw: a $1,892 spread, 1214× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($27.88) 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 Elmore Smith #57 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Elmore Smith #57 (Basketball Cards 1978 Topps) sells for about $1,894 versus $1.56 for a raw near-mint copy — a 1214× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Elmore Smith #57?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $2,462, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,894. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Elmore Smith #57 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 Elmore Smith #57 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Elmore Smith #57 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $27.88).
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.
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