Is Larry Bird / Julius Erving / Magic Johnson #34 / 139 / 174 worth grading?
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Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Larry Bird / Julius Erving / Magic Johnson #34 / 139 / 174 sells for $87,707 against $859 raw: a $86,848 spread, 102× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($16,230) 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)
- $859
- PSA 10
- $87,707
- PSA 9
- $16,230
- Gem premium
- 102×
- As of
- Sep 12, 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 | $87,707 | +$86,823 | +$86,798 | +$86,698 |
| PSA 9 | $16,230 | +$15,346 | +$15,321 | +$15,221 |
| PSA 8 | $3,639 | +$2,755 | +$2,730 | +$2,630 |
Net = sale price − $859 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% | $34,099 | +$33,190 |
| 50% | $51,968 | +$51,059 |
| 75% | $69,838 | +$68,928 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $114,019 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $87,707 | −$26,312 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $52,624 | −$61,395 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $52,624 | −$61,395 | 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 Larry Bird / Julius Erving / Magic Johnson #34 / 139 / 174 — FAQ
Is Larry Bird / Julius Erving / Magic Johnson #34 / 139 / 174 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Larry Bird / Julius Erving / Magic Johnson #34 / 139 / 174 sells for $87,707 against $859 raw: a $86,848 spread, 102× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($16,230) 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 Larry Bird / Julius Erving / Magic Johnson #34 / 139 / 174 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Larry Bird / Julius Erving / Magic Johnson #34 / 139 / 174 (Basketball Cards 1980 Topps) sells for about $87,707 versus $859 for a raw near-mint copy — a 102× premium as of Sep 12, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Larry Bird / Julius Erving / Magic Johnson #34 / 139 / 174?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $114,019, ahead of PSA 10 at $87,707. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Larry Bird / Julius Erving / Magic Johnson #34 / 139 / 174 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.
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