Is Dave Cowens / Paul Westphal / Randy Smith #16 / 36 / 59 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1980 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dave Cowens / Paul Westphal / Randy Smith #16 / 36 / 59 sells for $185 against $1.79 raw: a $183 spread, 103× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.33) 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)
- $1.79
- PSA 10
- $185
- PSA 9
- $34.33
- Gem premium
- 103×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $185 | +$158 | +$133 | +$32.85 |
| PSA 9 | $34.33 | +$7.54 | −$17.46 | −$117 |
| PSA 8 | $14.39 | −$12.40 | −$37.40 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $1.79 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% | $71.91 | +$20.12 |
| 50% | $109 | +$57.69 |
| 75% | $147 | +$95.27 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 12%. 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 | $240 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $185 | −$55.36 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $111 | −$129 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $111 | −$129 | 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 Dave Cowens / Paul Westphal / Randy Smith #16 / 36 / 59 — FAQ
Is Dave Cowens / Paul Westphal / Randy Smith #16 / 36 / 59 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dave Cowens / Paul Westphal / Randy Smith #16 / 36 / 59 sells for $185 against $1.79 raw: a $183 spread, 103× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.33) 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 Dave Cowens / Paul Westphal / Randy Smith #16 / 36 / 59 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dave Cowens / Paul Westphal / Randy Smith #16 / 36 / 59 (Basketball Cards 1980 Topps) sells for about $185 versus $1.79 for a raw near-mint copy — a 103× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dave Cowens / Paul Westphal / Randy Smith #16 / 36 / 59?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $240, ahead of PSA 10 at $185. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dave Cowens / Paul Westphal / Randy Smith #16 / 36 / 59 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 Dave Cowens / Paul Westphal / Randy Smith #16 / 36 / 59 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Dave Cowens / Paul Westphal / Randy Smith #16 / 36 / 59 breaks even when it gems about 12% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $34.33).
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