
Is Cedric Maxwell #23 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1979 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 1619× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Cedric Maxwell #23 sells for $2,590 against $1.60 raw: a $2,588 spread, 1619× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($13.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.60
- PSA 10
- $2,590
- PSA 9
- $13.00
- Gem premium
- 1619×
- 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 | $2,590 | +$2,563 | +$2,538 | +$2,438 |
| PSA 9 | $13.00 | −$13.60 | −$38.60 | −$139 |
| PSA 8 | $11.65 | −$14.95 | −$39.95 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $1.60 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% | $657 | +$606 |
| 50% | $1,302 | +$1,250 |
| 75% | $1,946 | +$1,894 |
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 | $3,367 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $2,590 | −$777 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,554 | −$1,813 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,554 | −$1,813 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1979 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Cedric Maxwell #23 — FAQ
Is Cedric Maxwell #23 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Cedric Maxwell #23 sells for $2,590 against $1.60 raw: a $2,588 spread, 1619× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($13.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Cedric Maxwell #23 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Cedric Maxwell #23 (Basketball Cards 1979 Topps) sells for about $2,590 versus $1.60 for a raw near-mint copy — a 1619× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Cedric Maxwell #23?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $3,367, ahead of PSA 10 at $2,590. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Cedric Maxwell #23 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 Cedric Maxwell #23 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Cedric Maxwell #23 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $13.00).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your basketball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.



