Is M.L. Carr #82 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1978 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 M.L. Carr #82 sells for $2,619 against $1.75 raw: a $2,618 spread, 1497× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($28.29) 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)
- $1.75
- PSA 10
- $2,619
- PSA 9
- $28.29
- Gem premium
- 1497×
- 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 | $2,619 | +$2,593 | +$2,568 | +$2,468 |
| PSA 9 | $28.29 | +$1.54 | −$23.46 | −$123 |
| PSA 8 | $11.45 | −$15.30 | −$40.30 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $1.75 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% | $676 | +$624 |
| 50% | $1,324 | +$1,272 |
| 75% | $1,972 | +$1,920 |
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 | $3,405 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $2,619 | −$786 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,572 | −$1,833 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,572 | −$1,833 | 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 M.L. Carr #82 — FAQ
Is M.L. Carr #82 worth grading?
A PSA 10 M.L. Carr #82 sells for $2,619 against $1.75 raw: a $2,618 spread, 1497× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($28.29) 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 M.L. Carr #82 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 M.L. Carr #82 (Basketball Cards 1978 Topps) sells for about $2,619 versus $1.75 for a raw near-mint copy — a 1497× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for M.L. Carr #82?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $3,405, ahead of PSA 10 at $2,619. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does M.L. Carr #82 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 M.L. Carr #82 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting M.L. Carr #82 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $28.29).
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