Is Isiah Thomas #45 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1988 Fleer · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Isiah Thomas #45 sells for $256 against $2.87 raw: a $253 spread, 89× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($28.14) 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)
- $2.87
- PSA 10
- $256
- PSA 9
- $28.14
- Gem premium
- 89×
- 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 | $256 | +$228 | +$203 | +$103 |
| PSA 9 | $28.14 | +$0.27 | −$24.73 | −$125 |
| PSA 8 | $13.25 | −$14.62 | −$39.62 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $2.87 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% | $85.11 | +$32.23 |
| 50% | $142 | +$89.20 |
| 75% | $199 | +$146 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 11%. 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 | $333 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $256 | −$77.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $154 | −$179 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $154 | −$179 | 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 | $256 | $154 | $333 | $154 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $57.92 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $28.14 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $13.25 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $9.02 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Isiah Thomas #45 — FAQ
Is Isiah Thomas #45 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Isiah Thomas #45 sells for $256 against $2.87 raw: a $253 spread, 89× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($28.14) 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 Isiah Thomas #45 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Isiah Thomas #45 (Basketball Cards 1988 Fleer) sells for about $256 versus $2.87 for a raw near-mint copy — a 89× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Isiah Thomas #45?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $333, ahead of PSA 10 at $256. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Isiah Thomas #45 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 Isiah Thomas #45 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Isiah Thomas #45 breaks even when it gems about 11% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $28.14).
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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