Is Bob Lanier #25 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1981 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 320× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Bob Lanier #25 sells for $560 against $1.75 raw: a $558 spread, 320× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.72) 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)
- $1.75
- PSA 10
- $560
- PSA 9
- $25.72
- Gem premium
- 320×
- 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 | $560 | +$533 | +$508 | +$408 |
| PSA 9 | $25.72 | −$1.03 | −$26.03 | −$126 |
| PSA 8 | $14.01 | −$12.74 | −$37.74 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $1.75 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% | $159 | +$108 |
| 50% | $293 | +$241 |
| 75% | $426 | +$375 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 5%. 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 | $728 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $560 | −$168 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $336 | −$392 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $336 | −$392 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
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)
![Magic Johnson [West] #W109 1981 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/EigAAeSwvdxqVEva/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Bob Lanier #25 — FAQ
Is Bob Lanier #25 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Bob Lanier #25 sells for $560 against $1.75 raw: a $558 spread, 320× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.72) 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 $560 versus $1.75 for a raw near-mint copy — a 320× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Bob Lanier #25?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $728, ahead of PSA 10 at $560. 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 5% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $25.72).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your basketball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
