Is Tom Chambers #197 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1989 Hoops · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Tom Chambers #197 sell for $26.09, only $24.97 above the $1.12 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($3.77) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.12
- PSA 10
- $26.09
- PSA 9
- $3.77
- Gem premium
- 23×
- 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 | $26.09 | −$0.03 | −$25.03 | −$125 |
| PSA 9 | $3.77 | −$22.35 | −$47.35 | −$147 |
Net = sale price − $1.12 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% | $9.35 | −$41.77 |
| 50% | $14.93 | −$36.19 |
| 75% | $20.51 | −$30.61 |
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 | $34.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $26.09 | −$7.91 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $16.00 | −$18.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $13.95 | −$20.05 | 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 Tom Chambers #197 — FAQ
Is Tom Chambers #197 worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Tom Chambers #197 sell for $26.09, only $24.97 above the $1.12 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($3.77) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Tom Chambers #197 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tom Chambers #197 (Basketball Cards 1989 Hoops) sells for about $26.09 versus $1.12 for a raw near-mint copy — a 23× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tom Chambers #197?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $34.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $26.09. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tom Chambers #197 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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