Is Nate Archibald #3 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1981 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 94× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Nate Archibald #3 sells for $186 against $1.99 raw: a $184 spread, 94× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($26.40) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.99
- PSA 10
- $186
- PSA 9
- $26.40
- Gem premium
- 94×
- 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 | $186 | +$159 | +$134 | +$34.20 |
| PSA 9 | $26.40 | −$0.59 | −$25.59 | −$126 |
| PSA 8 | $19.99 | −$7.00 | −$32.00 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $1.99 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% | $66.35 | +$14.36 |
| 50% | $106 | +$54.31 |
| 75% | $146 | +$94.25 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 16%. 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 | $242 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $186 | −$55.81 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $112 | −$130 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $112 | −$130 | 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 | $186 | $112 | $242 | $112 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $58.38 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $26.40 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $19.99 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $14.37 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1981 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Charlie Criss [East] #E67 1981 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PtwAAOSwiJ9l7iKf/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Nate Archibald #3 — FAQ
Is Nate Archibald #3 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Nate Archibald #3 sells for $186 against $1.99 raw: a $184 spread, 94× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($26.40) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Nate Archibald #3 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Nate Archibald #3 (Basketball Cards 1981 Topps) sells for about $186 versus $1.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 94× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Nate Archibald #3?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $242, ahead of PSA 10 at $186. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Nate Archibald #3 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 Nate Archibald #3 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Nate Archibald #3 breaks even when it gems about 16% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $26.40).
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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