Is Allen Iverson #171 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 22× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Allen Iverson #171 sells for $155 against $6.94 raw: a $148 spread, 22× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($30.00) 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)
- $6.94
- PSA 10
- $155
- PSA 9
- $30.00
- Gem premium
- 22×
- 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 | $155 | +$123 | +$98.06 | −$1.94 |
| PSA 9 | $30.00 | −$1.94 | −$26.94 | −$127 |
| PSA 8 | $18.75 | −$13.19 | −$38.19 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $6.94 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% | $61.25 | +$4.31 |
| 50% | $92.50 | +$35.56 |
| 75% | $124 | +$66.81 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 22%. 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 | $1,250 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $155 | −$1,095 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $81.50 | −$1,169 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $44.56 | −$1,205 | 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 | $155 | $44.56 | $1,250 | $81.50 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $55.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $30.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $18.75 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $10.75 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1996 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Steve Nash [50th] #182 1996 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/FwUAAeSwrURp7YOe/s-l500.jpg)
![Allen Iverson [50th] #171 1996 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/X3gAAeSwbEZqS6n7/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Allen Iverson #171 — FAQ
Is Allen Iverson #171 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Allen Iverson #171 sells for $155 against $6.94 raw: a $148 spread, 22× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($30.00) 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 Allen Iverson #171 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Allen Iverson #171 (Basketball Cards 1996 Topps) sells for about $155 versus $6.94 for a raw near-mint copy — a 22× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Allen Iverson #171?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,250, ahead of PSA 10 at $155. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Allen Iverson #171 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 Allen Iverson #171 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Allen Iverson #171 breaks even when it gems about 22% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $30.00).
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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