Is Fred Brown #59 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1978 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Fred Brown #59 sells for $107 against $1.99 raw: a $105 spread, 54× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.97) 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)
- $1.99
- PSA 10
- $107
- PSA 9
- $39.97
- Gem premium
- 54×
- 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 | $107 | +$79.84 | +$54.84 | −$45.16 |
| PSA 9 | $39.97 | +$12.98 | −$12.02 | −$112 |
| PSA 8 | $12.11 | −$14.88 | −$39.88 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $1.99 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% | $56.69 | +$4.70 |
| 50% | $73.40 | +$21.41 |
| 75% | $90.12 | +$38.13 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 18%. 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 | $139 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $107 | −$32.17 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $64.00 | −$75.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $64.00 | −$75.00 | 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 | $107 | $64.00 | $139 | $64.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $67.86 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $39.97 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $12.11 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $10.90 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Fred Brown #59 — FAQ
Is Fred Brown #59 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Fred Brown #59 sells for $107 against $1.99 raw: a $105 spread, 54× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.97) 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 Fred Brown #59 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Fred Brown #59 (Basketball Cards 1978 Topps) sells for about $107 versus $1.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 54× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Fred Brown #59?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $139, ahead of PSA 10 at $107. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Fred Brown #59 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 Fred Brown #59 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Fred Brown #59 breaks even when it gems about 18% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $39.97).
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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