Is Patrick Ewing #53 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1991 Hoops McDonalds · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 44× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Patrick Ewing #53 sells for $88.48 against $1.99 raw: a $86.49 spread, 44× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.71) 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)
- $1.99
- PSA 10
- $88.48
- PSA 9
- $14.71
- Gem premium
- 44×
- 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 | $88.48 | +$61.49 | +$36.49 | −$63.51 |
| PSA 9 | $14.71 | −$12.28 | −$37.28 | −$137 |
| PSA 8 | $10.91 | −$16.08 | −$41.08 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $1.99 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% | $33.15 | −$18.84 |
| 50% | $51.59 | −$0.40 |
| 75% | $70.04 | +$18.05 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 51%. 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 | $115 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $88.48 | −$26.52 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $53.00 | −$62.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $53.00 | −$62.00 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $88.48 | $53.00 | $115 | $53.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $27.24 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $14.71 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $10.91 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $4.94 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1991 Hoops McDonalds cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Patrick Ewing #53 — FAQ
Is Patrick Ewing #53 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Patrick Ewing #53 sells for $88.48 against $1.99 raw: a $86.49 spread, 44× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($14.71) 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 Patrick Ewing #53 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Patrick Ewing #53 (Basketball Cards 1991 Hoops McDonalds) sells for about $88.48 versus $1.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 44× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Patrick Ewing #53?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $115, ahead of PSA 10 at $88.48. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Patrick Ewing #53 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 Patrick Ewing #53 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Patrick Ewing #53 breaks even when it gems about 51% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $14.71).
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.
Check my card free