![Rick Mahorn [East] #E98 (Basketball Cards 1981 Topps) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/NloAAOSw5HFjmRCa/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Rick Mahorn [East] #E98 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1981 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 31× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Rick Mahorn [East] #E98 sells for $84.62 against $2.75 raw: a $81.87 spread, 31× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.00) 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)
- $2.75
- PSA 10
- $84.62
- PSA 9
- $24.00
- Gem premium
- 31×
- 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 | $84.62 | +$56.87 | +$31.87 | −$68.13 |
| PSA 9 | $24.00 | −$3.75 | −$28.75 | −$129 |
| PSA 8 | $10.00 | −$17.75 | −$42.75 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $2.75 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% | $39.16 | −$13.59 |
| 50% | $54.31 | +$1.56 |
| 75% | $69.47 | +$16.72 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 47%. 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 | $110 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $84.62 | −$25.38 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $51.00 | −$59.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $51.00 | −$59.00 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $84.62 | $51.00 | $110 | $51.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $51.62 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $24.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $10.00 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $8.00 |
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 Rick Mahorn [East] #E98 — FAQ
Is Rick Mahorn [East] #E98 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Rick Mahorn [East] #E98 sells for $84.62 against $2.75 raw: a $81.87 spread, 31× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.00) 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 Rick Mahorn [East] #E98 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Rick Mahorn [East] #E98 (Basketball Cards 1981 Topps) sells for about $84.62 versus $2.75 for a raw near-mint copy — a 31× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Rick Mahorn [East] #E98?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $110, ahead of PSA 10 at $84.62. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Rick Mahorn [East] #E98 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 Rick Mahorn [East] #E98 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Rick Mahorn [East] #E98 breaks even when it gems about 47% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $24.00).
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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