Is Kermit Washington #89 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1981 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Kermit Washington #89 sells for $89.00 against $0.99 raw: a $88.01 spread, 90× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($26.26) 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)
- $0.99
- PSA 10
- $89.00
- PSA 9
- $26.26
- Gem premium
- 90×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $89.00 | +$63.01 | +$38.01 | −$61.99 |
| PSA 9 | $26.26 | +$0.27 | −$24.73 | −$125 |
| PSA 8 | $3.66 | −$22.33 | −$47.33 | −$147 |
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% | $41.95 | −$9.05 |
| 50% | $57.63 | +$6.64 |
| 75% | $73.31 | +$22.33 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 39%. 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 | $116 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $89.00 | −$27.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $53.00 | −$63.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $53.00 | −$63.00 | 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.
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Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Kermit Washington #89 — FAQ
Is Kermit Washington #89 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Kermit Washington #89 sells for $89.00 against $0.99 raw: a $88.01 spread, 90× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($26.26) 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 Kermit Washington #89 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Kermit Washington #89 (Basketball Cards 1981 Topps) sells for about $89.00 versus $0.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 90× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Kermit Washington #89?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $116, ahead of PSA 10 at $89.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Kermit Washington #89 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 Kermit Washington #89 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Kermit Washington #89 breaks even when it gems about 39% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $26.26).
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