Is Ray Williams #129 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1978 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Ray Williams #129 sells for $460 against $2.01 raw: a $458 spread, 229× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.55) 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)
- $2.01
- PSA 10
- $460
- PSA 9
- $32.55
- Gem premium
- 229×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $460 | +$433 | +$408 | +$308 |
| PSA 9 | $32.55 | +$5.54 | −$19.46 | −$119 |
| PSA 8 | $10.24 | −$16.77 | −$41.77 | −$142 |
Net = sale price − $2.01 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% | $139 | +$87.43 |
| 50% | $246 | +$194 |
| 75% | $353 | +$301 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 5%. 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 | $598 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $460 | −$138 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $276 | −$322 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $276 | −$322 | 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 Ray Williams #129 — FAQ
Is Ray Williams #129 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Ray Williams #129 sells for $460 against $2.01 raw: a $458 spread, 229× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.55) 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 Ray Williams #129 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Ray Williams #129 (Basketball Cards 1978 Topps) sells for about $460 versus $2.01 for a raw near-mint copy — a 229× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Ray Williams #129?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $598, ahead of PSA 10 at $460. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ray Williams #129 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 Ray Williams #129 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ray Williams #129 breaks even when it gems about 5% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $32.55).
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