Is Larry Bird #4 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1981 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Larry Bird #4 sells for $8,550 against $70.00 raw: a $8,480 spread, 122× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,163) 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)
- $70.00
- PSA 10
- $8,550
- PSA 9
- $1,163
- Gem premium
- 122×
- 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 | $8,550 | +$8,455 | +$8,430 | +$8,330 |
| PSA 9 | $1,163 | +$1,068 | +$1,043 | +$943 |
| PSA 8 | $251 | +$156 | +$131 | +$30.88 |
Net = sale price − $70.00 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% | $3,009 | +$2,889 |
| 50% | $4,856 | +$4,736 |
| 75% | $6,703 | +$6,583 |
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 | $11,114 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $8,550 | −$2,565 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $5,130 | −$5,984 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $5,130 | −$5,984 | 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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Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1981 Topps cards worth checking
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Grading Larry Bird #4 — FAQ
Is Larry Bird #4 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Larry Bird #4 sells for $8,550 against $70.00 raw: a $8,480 spread, 122× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,163) 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 #4 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Larry Bird #4 (Basketball Cards 1981 Topps) sells for about $8,550 versus $70.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 122× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Larry Bird #4?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $11,114, ahead of PSA 10 at $8,550. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Larry Bird #4 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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