Is John Johnson #104 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1979 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 John Johnson #104 sells for $1,250 against $1.69 raw: a $1,248 spread, 740× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.50) 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)
- $1.69
- PSA 10
- $1,250
- PSA 9
- $47.50
- Gem premium
- 740×
- 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 | $1,250 | +$1,223 | +$1,198 | +$1,098 |
| PSA 9 | $47.50 | +$20.81 | −$4.19 | −$104 |
| PSA 8 | $18.95 | −$7.74 | −$32.74 | −$133 |
Net = sale price − $1.69 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% | $348 | +$296 |
| 50% | $649 | +$597 |
| 75% | $949 | +$898 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 0%. 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 | $1,625 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,250 | −$375 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $750 | −$875 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $750 | −$875 | 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 John Johnson #104 — FAQ
Is John Johnson #104 worth grading?
A PSA 10 John Johnson #104 sells for $1,250 against $1.69 raw: a $1,248 spread, 740× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.50) 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 Johnson #104 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 John Johnson #104 (Basketball Cards 1979 Topps) sells for about $1,250 versus $1.69 for a raw near-mint copy — a 740× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for John Johnson #104?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,625, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,250. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does John Johnson #104 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 Johnson #104 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting John Johnson #104 breaks even when it gems about 0% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $47.50).
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