Is Lloyd Free / Larry Smith / John Lucas #51 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1981 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 107× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Lloyd Free / Larry Smith / John Lucas #51 sells for $106 against $0.99 raw: a $105 spread, 107× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.00) 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)
- $0.99
- PSA 10
- $106
- PSA 9
- $21.00
- Gem premium
- 107×
- 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 | $106 | +$80.31 | +$55.31 | −$44.69 |
| PSA 9 | $21.00 | −$4.99 | −$29.99 | −$130 |
| PSA 8 | $9.91 | −$16.08 | −$41.08 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $0.99 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% | $42.33 | −$8.66 |
| 50% | $63.65 | +$12.66 |
| 75% | $84.97 | +$33.98 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 35%. 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 | $138 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $106 | −$31.70 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $64.00 | −$74.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $64.00 | −$74.00 | 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 Lloyd Free / Larry Smith / John Lucas #51 — FAQ
Is Lloyd Free / Larry Smith / John Lucas #51 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Lloyd Free / Larry Smith / John Lucas #51 sells for $106 against $0.99 raw: a $105 spread, 107× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($21.00) 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 Lloyd Free / Larry Smith / John Lucas #51 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Lloyd Free / Larry Smith / John Lucas #51 (Basketball Cards 1981 Topps) sells for about $106 versus $0.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 107× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Lloyd Free / Larry Smith / John Lucas #51?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $138, ahead of PSA 10 at $106. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Lloyd Free / Larry Smith / John Lucas #51 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 Lloyd Free / Larry Smith / John Lucas #51 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Lloyd Free / Larry Smith / John Lucas #51 breaks even when it gems about 35% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $21.00).
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.
