Is Clifford Ray #131 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1978 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Clifford Ray #131 sells for $344 against $2.99 raw: a $341 spread, 115× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.52) 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)
- $2.99
- PSA 10
- $344
- PSA 9
- $29.52
- Gem premium
- 115×
- As of
- Sep 2, 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 | $344 | +$316 | +$291 | +$191 |
| PSA 9 | $29.52 | +$1.53 | −$23.47 | −$123 |
| PSA 8 | $7.30 | −$20.69 | −$45.69 | −$146 |
Net = sale price − $2.99 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% | $108 | +$55.08 |
| 50% | $187 | +$134 |
| 75% | $265 | +$212 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 7%. 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 | $447 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $344 | −$103 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $206 | −$241 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $206 | −$241 | 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 Clifford Ray #131 — FAQ
Is Clifford Ray #131 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Clifford Ray #131 sells for $344 against $2.99 raw: a $341 spread, 115× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.52) 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 Clifford Ray #131 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Clifford Ray #131 (Basketball Cards 1978 Topps) sells for about $344 versus $2.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 115× premium as of Sep 2, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Clifford Ray #131?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $447, ahead of PSA 10 at $344. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Clifford Ray #131 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 Clifford Ray #131 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Clifford Ray #131 breaks even when it gems about 7% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $29.52).
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