Is Rory Sparrow #102 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1987 Fleer · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Rory Sparrow #102 sells for $69.50 against $1.53 raw: a $67.97 spread, 45× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($53.02) 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)
- $1.53
- PSA 10
- $69.50
- PSA 9
- $53.02
- Gem premium
- 45×
- 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 | $69.50 | +$42.97 | +$17.97 | −$82.03 |
| PSA 9 | $53.02 | +$26.49 | +$1.49 | −$98.51 |
| PSA 8 | $52.84 | +$26.31 | +$1.31 | −$98.69 |
Net = sale price − $1.53 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% | $57.14 | +$5.61 |
| 50% | $61.26 | +$9.73 |
| 75% | $65.38 | +$13.85 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $90.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $69.50 | −$20.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $42.00 | −$48.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $42.00 | −$48.00 | 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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Grading Rory Sparrow #102 — FAQ
Is Rory Sparrow #102 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Rory Sparrow #102 sells for $69.50 against $1.53 raw: a $67.97 spread, 45× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($53.02) 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 Rory Sparrow #102 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Rory Sparrow #102 (Basketball Cards 1987 Fleer) sells for about $69.50 versus $1.53 for a raw near-mint copy — a 45× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Rory Sparrow #102?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $90.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $69.50. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Rory Sparrow #102 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.
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