Is Bob Lanier #25 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1981 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 305× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Bob Lanier #25 sells for $611 against $2.00 raw: a $609 spread, 305× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($17.77) 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)
- $2.00
- PSA 10
- $611
- PSA 9
- $17.77
- Gem premium
- 305×
- 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 | $611 | +$584 | +$559 | +$459 |
| PSA 9 | $17.77 | −$9.23 | −$34.23 | −$134 |
| PSA 8 | $14.21 | −$12.79 | −$37.79 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $2.00 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% | $166 | +$114 |
| 50% | $314 | +$262 |
| 75% | $463 | +$411 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 6%. 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 | $794 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $611 | −$183 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $366 | −$428 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $366 | −$428 | 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 | $611 | $366 | $794 | $366 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $61.18 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $17.77 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $14.21 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $11.00 |
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 Bob Lanier #25 — FAQ
Is Bob Lanier #25 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Bob Lanier #25 sells for $611 against $2.00 raw: a $609 spread, 305× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($17.77) 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 Bob Lanier #25 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Bob Lanier #25 (Basketball Cards 1981 Topps) sells for about $611 versus $2.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 305× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Bob Lanier #25?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $794, ahead of PSA 10 at $611. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Bob Lanier #25 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 Bob Lanier #25 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Bob Lanier #25 breaks even when it gems about 6% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $17.77).
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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