Is John Long #38 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1979 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 John Long #38 sells for $3,250 against $1.55 raw: a $3,248 spread, 2097× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.44) 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)
- $1.55
- PSA 10
- $3,250
- PSA 9
- $30.44
- Gem premium
- 2097×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $3,250 | +$3,223 | +$3,198 | +$3,098 |
| PSA 9 | $30.44 | +$3.89 | −$21.11 | −$121 |
| PSA 8 | $8.99 | −$17.56 | −$42.56 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $1.55 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% | $835 | +$784 |
| 50% | $1,640 | +$1,589 |
| 75% | $2,445 | +$2,394 |
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 | $4,225 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $3,250 | −$975 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,950 | −$2,275 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,950 | −$2,275 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $3,250 | $1,950 | $4,225 | $1,950 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $55.68 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $30.44 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $8.99 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $6.99 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Other 1979 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading John Long #38 — FAQ
Is John Long #38 worth grading?
A PSA 10 John Long #38 sells for $3,250 against $1.55 raw: a $3,248 spread, 2097× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($30.44) 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 John Long #38 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 John Long #38 (Basketball Cards 1979 Topps) sells for about $3,250 versus $1.55 for a raw near-mint copy — a 2097× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for John Long #38?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $4,225, ahead of PSA 10 at $3,250. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does John Long #38 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 John Long #38 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting John Long #38 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $30.44).
Is your basketball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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