Is Caldwell Jones #103 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1978 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Caldwell Jones #103 sells for $2,800 against $1.49 raw: a $2,798 spread, 1879× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($49.67) 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)
- $1.49
- PSA 10
- $2,800
- PSA 9
- $49.67
- Gem premium
- 1879×
- 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 | $2,800 | +$2,773 | +$2,748 | +$2,648 |
| PSA 9 | $49.67 | +$23.18 | −$1.82 | −$102 |
| PSA 8 | $7.50 | −$18.99 | −$43.99 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $1.49 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% | $737 | +$686 |
| 50% | $1,425 | +$1,373 |
| 75% | $2,112 | +$2,061 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 0%. 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 | $3,640 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $2,800 | −$840 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,680 | −$1,960 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,680 | −$1,960 | 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 Caldwell Jones #103 — FAQ
Is Caldwell Jones #103 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Caldwell Jones #103 sells for $2,800 against $1.49 raw: a $2,798 spread, 1879× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($49.67) 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 Caldwell Jones #103 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Caldwell Jones #103 (Basketball Cards 1978 Topps) sells for about $2,800 versus $1.49 for a raw near-mint copy — a 1879× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Caldwell Jones #103?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $3,640, ahead of PSA 10 at $2,800. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Caldwell Jones #103 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 Caldwell Jones #103 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Caldwell Jones #103 breaks even when it gems about 0% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $49.67).
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