Is John Paxson #89 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1989 Hoops · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 46× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 John Paxson #89 sells for $45.86 against $0.99 raw: a $44.87 spread, 46× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($11.99) 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)
- $0.99
- PSA 10
- $45.86
- PSA 9
- $11.99
- Gem premium
- 46×
- 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 | $45.86 | +$19.87 | −$5.13 | −$105 |
| PSA 9 | $11.99 | −$14.00 | −$39.00 | −$139 |
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% | $20.46 | −$30.53 |
| 50% | $28.93 | −$22.06 |
| 75% | $37.39 | −$13.60 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $60.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $45.86 | −$14.14 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $28.00 | −$32.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $28.00 | −$32.00 | 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 John Paxson #89 — FAQ
Is John Paxson #89 worth grading?
A PSA 10 John Paxson #89 sells for $45.86 against $0.99 raw: a $44.87 spread, 46× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($11.99) 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 John Paxson #89 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 John Paxson #89 (Basketball Cards 1989 Hoops) sells for about $45.86 versus $0.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 46× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for John Paxson #89?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $60.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $45.86. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does John Paxson #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.
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