Is Magic Johnson #161 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1995 Metal · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 80× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Magic Johnson #161 sells for $133 against $1.67 raw: a $131 spread, 80× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.99) 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)
- $1.67
- PSA 10
- $133
- PSA 9
- $24.99
- Gem premium
- 80×
- 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 | $133 | +$106 | +$81.27 | −$18.73 |
| PSA 9 | $24.99 | −$1.68 | −$26.68 | −$127 |
| PSA 8 | $13.49 | −$13.18 | −$38.18 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $1.67 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% | $51.98 | +$0.31 |
| 50% | $78.97 | +$27.30 |
| 75% | $106 | +$54.28 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 25%. 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 | $173 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $133 | −$40.06 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $58.90 | −$114 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $30.00 | −$143 | 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 #161 — FAQ
Is Magic Johnson #161 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Magic Johnson #161 sells for $133 against $1.67 raw: a $131 spread, 80× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.99) 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 Magic Johnson #161 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Magic Johnson #161 (Basketball Cards 1995 Metal) sells for about $133 versus $1.67 for a raw near-mint copy — a 80× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Magic Johnson #161?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $173, ahead of PSA 10 at $133. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Magic Johnson #161 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 Magic Johnson #161 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Magic Johnson #161 breaks even when it gems about 25% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $24.99).
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