Is Tim Duncan #106 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Bowman's Best · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 24× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Tim Duncan #106 sells for $110 against $4.63 raw: a $106 spread, 24× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.93) 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)
- $4.63
- PSA 10
- $110
- PSA 9
- $25.93
- Gem premium
- 24×
- 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 | $110 | +$80.75 | +$55.75 | −$44.25 |
| PSA 9 | $25.93 | −$3.70 | −$28.70 | −$129 |
| PSA 8 | $11.90 | −$17.73 | −$42.73 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $4.63 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% | $47.04 | −$7.59 |
| 50% | $68.16 | +$13.52 |
| 75% | $89.27 | +$34.64 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 34%. 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 | $260 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $110 | −$150 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $66.00 | −$194 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $58.00 | −$202 | 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 | $110 | $66.00 | $260 | $58.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $57.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $25.93 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $11.90 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $6.38 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1997 Bowman's Best cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
![Clyde Drexler [Atomic Refractor] #92 1997 Bowman's Best card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Jd0AAeSwRTtqVzp~/s-l500.jpg)
![Tracy McGrady [Refractor] #111 1997 Bowman's Best card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/hF0AAeSwIL9qGHBD/s-l500.jpg)
![Tim Duncan [Refractor] #106 1997 Bowman's Best card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/sQAAAeSwqrFqWFhD/s-l500.jpg)
![Dennis Rodman [Atomic Refractor] #56 1997 Bowman's Best card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/NIkAAeSwhQNqV7bW/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Tim Duncan #106 — FAQ
Is Tim Duncan #106 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tim Duncan #106 sells for $110 against $4.63 raw: a $106 spread, 24× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.93) 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 Tim Duncan #106 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tim Duncan #106 (Basketball Cards 1997 Bowman's Best) sells for about $110 versus $4.63 for a raw near-mint copy — a 24× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tim Duncan #106?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $260, ahead of PSA 10 at $110. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tim Duncan #106 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 Tim Duncan #106 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tim Duncan #106 breaks even when it gems about 34% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $25.93).
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