Is Magic Johnson #31 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1992 Skybox USA · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 28× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Magic Johnson #31 sells for $42.00 against $1.48 raw: a $40.52 spread, 28× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($13.25) 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)
- $1.48
- PSA 10
- $42.00
- PSA 9
- $13.25
- Gem premium
- 28×
- As of
- Sep 4, 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 | $42.00 | +$15.52 | −$9.48 | −$109 |
| PSA 9 | $13.25 | −$13.23 | −$38.23 | −$138 |
| PSA 8 | $7.93 | −$18.55 | −$43.55 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $1.48 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% | $20.44 | −$31.04 |
| 50% | $27.63 | −$23.86 |
| 75% | $34.81 | −$16.67 |
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 | $55.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $42.00 | −$13.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $25.00 | −$30.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $25.00 | −$30.00 | 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 Magic Johnson #31 — FAQ
Is Magic Johnson #31 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Magic Johnson #31 sells for $42.00 against $1.48 raw: a $40.52 spread, 28× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($13.25) 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 Magic Johnson #31 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Magic Johnson #31 (Basketball Cards 1992 Skybox USA) sells for about $42.00 versus $1.48 for a raw near-mint copy — a 28× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Magic Johnson #31?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $55.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $42.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Magic Johnson #31 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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