Is Foots Walker #42 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1979 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Foots Walker #42 sells for $3,651 against $1.50 raw: a $3,650 spread, 2434× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.00) 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)
- $1.50
- PSA 10
- $3,651
- PSA 9
- $32.00
- Gem premium
- 2434×
- 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 | $3,651 | +$3,625 | +$3,600 | +$3,500 |
| PSA 9 | $32.00 | +$5.50 | −$19.50 | −$120 |
| PSA 8 | $4.26 | −$22.24 | −$47.24 | −$147 |
Net = sale price − $1.50 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% | $937 | +$885 |
| 50% | $1,842 | +$1,790 |
| 75% | $2,746 | +$2,695 |
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 | $4,746 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $3,651 | −$1,095 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $2,191 | −$2,555 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $2,191 | −$2,555 | 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 | $3,651 | $2,191 | $4,746 | $2,191 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $56.57 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $32.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $4.26 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $3.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Full set checklist →Grading Foots Walker #42 — FAQ
Is Foots Walker #42 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Foots Walker #42 sells for $3,651 against $1.50 raw: a $3,650 spread, 2434× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.00) 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 Foots Walker #42 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Foots Walker #42 (Basketball Cards 1979 Topps) sells for about $3,651 versus $1.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 2434× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Foots Walker #42?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $4,746, ahead of PSA 10 at $3,651. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Foots Walker #42 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 Foots Walker #42 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Foots Walker #42 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $32.00).
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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