Is Ray Williams #48 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1979 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A CGC 10 Ray Williams #48 sells for $2,371 against $1.24 raw: a $2,370 spread, 1912× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($37.58) 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)
- $1.24
- CGC 10
- $2,371
- PSA 9
- $37.58
- Gem premium
- 1912×
- 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 — CGC 10 | $2,371 | +$2,345 | +$2,320 | +$2,220 |
| PSA 9 | $37.58 | +$11.34 | −$13.66 | −$114 |
| PSA 8 | $5.99 | −$20.25 | −$45.25 | −$145 |
Net = sale price − $1.24 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% | $621 | +$570 |
| 50% | $1,204 | +$1,153 |
| 75% | $1,788 | +$1,736 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CGC 10 | $2,371 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $2,371 | best | 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 #48 — FAQ
Is Ray Williams #48 worth grading?
A CGC 10 Ray Williams #48 sells for $2,371 against $1.24 raw: a $2,370 spread, 1912× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($37.58) 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.
Which grading company is best for Ray Williams #48?
By resale value, CGC 10 leads at $2,371, ahead of SGC 10 at $2,371. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Ray Williams #48 need for a CGC 10?
CGC publishes 55/45 front and 75/25 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 #48 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Ray Williams #48 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $37.58).
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