Is Magic Johnson #123 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1988 Fleer · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Magic Johnson #123 sells for $995 against $3.05 raw: a $992 spread, 326× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.95) 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)
- $3.05
- PSA 10
- $995
- PSA 9
- $39.95
- Gem premium
- 326×
- 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 | $995 | +$967 | +$942 | +$842 |
| PSA 9 | $39.95 | +$11.90 | −$13.10 | −$113 |
| PSA 8 | $18.50 | −$9.55 | −$34.55 | −$135 |
Net = sale price − $3.05 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% | $279 | +$226 |
| 50% | $517 | +$464 |
| 75% | $756 | +$703 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. 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 | $1,294 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $995 | −$299 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $597 | −$697 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $597 | −$697 | 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 | $995 | $597 | $1,294 | $597 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $75.15 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $39.95 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $18.50 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $12.52 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1988 Fleer cards worth checking
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Grading Magic Johnson #123 — FAQ
Is Magic Johnson #123 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Magic Johnson #123 sells for $995 against $3.05 raw: a $992 spread, 326× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.95) 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 Magic Johnson #123 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Magic Johnson #123 (Basketball Cards 1988 Fleer) sells for about $995 versus $3.05 for a raw near-mint copy — a 326× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Magic Johnson #123?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,294, ahead of PSA 10 at $995. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Magic Johnson #123 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 Magic Johnson #123 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Magic Johnson #123 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $39.95).
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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