Is Larry Bird #LB-87 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2006 Topps Larry Bird the Missing Years · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 23× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Larry Bird #LB-87 sells for $115 against $4.97 raw: a $110 spread, 23× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.06) 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)
- $4.97
- PSA 10
- $115
- PSA 9
- $20.06
- Gem premium
- 23×
- 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 | $115 | +$85.03 | +$60.03 | −$39.97 |
| PSA 9 | $20.06 | −$9.91 | −$34.91 | −$135 |
| PSA 8 | $11.13 | −$18.84 | −$43.84 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $4.97 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% | $43.80 | −$11.17 |
| 50% | $67.53 | +$12.56 |
| 75% | $91.27 | +$36.30 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 37%. 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 | $150 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $115 | −$35.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $69.00 | −$81.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $69.00 | −$81.00 | 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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Other 2006 Topps Larry Bird the Missing Years cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Larry Bird #LB-87 — FAQ
Is Larry Bird #LB-87 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Larry Bird #LB-87 sells for $115 against $4.97 raw: a $110 spread, 23× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($20.06) 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 Larry Bird #LB-87 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Larry Bird #LB-87 (Basketball Cards 2006 Topps Larry Bird the Missing Years) sells for about $115 versus $4.97 for a raw near-mint copy — a 23× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Larry Bird #LB-87?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $150, ahead of PSA 10 at $115. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Larry Bird #LB-87 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 Larry Bird #LB-87 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Larry Bird #LB-87 breaks even when it gems about 37% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $20.06).
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