Is Earvin Johnson #270 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1989 Hoops · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 29× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Earvin Johnson #270 sells for $44.99 against $1.57 raw: a $43.42 spread, 29× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.92) 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)
- $1.57
- PSA 10
- $44.99
- PSA 9
- $14.92
- Gem premium
- 29×
- 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 | $44.99 | +$18.42 | −$6.58 | −$107 |
| PSA 9 | $14.92 | −$11.65 | −$36.65 | −$137 |
| PSA 8 | $10.07 | −$16.50 | −$41.50 | −$142 |
Net = sale price − $1.57 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% | $22.44 | −$29.13 |
| 50% | $29.96 | −$21.61 |
| 75% | $37.47 | −$14.10 |
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 | $300 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $44.99 | −$255 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $27.00 | −$273 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $27.00 | −$273 | 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 | $44.99 | $27.00 | $300 | $27.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $21.55 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $14.92 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $10.07 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $6.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Earvin Johnson #270 — FAQ
Is Earvin Johnson #270 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Earvin Johnson #270 sells for $44.99 against $1.57 raw: a $43.42 spread, 29× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.92) 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 Earvin Johnson #270 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Earvin Johnson #270 (Basketball Cards 1989 Hoops) sells for about $44.99 versus $1.57 for a raw near-mint copy — a 29× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Earvin Johnson #270?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $300, ahead of PSA 10 at $44.99. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Earvin Johnson #270 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.
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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