Is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar #1 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1986 Fleer Sticker · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar #1 sells for $26,975 against $44.99 raw: a $26,930 spread, 600× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($8,101) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $44.99
- PSA 10
- $26,975
- PSA 9
- $8,101
- Gem premium
- 600×
- As of
- Aug 19, 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 | $26,975 | +$26,905 | +$26,880 | +$26,780 |
| PSA 9 | $8,101 | +$8,031 | +$8,006 | +$7,906 |
| PSA 8 | $678 | +$608 | +$583 | +$483 |
Net = sale price − $44.99 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% | $12,819 | +$12,724 |
| 50% | $17,538 | +$17,443 |
| 75% | $22,256 | +$22,161 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SGC 10 | $50,000 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| BGS 10 | $35,067 | −$14,933 | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $26,975 | −$23,025 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $16,185 | −$33,815 | 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 | $26,975 | $16,185 | $35,067 | $50,000 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $8,911 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $8,101 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $678 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $191 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1986 Fleer Sticker cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Kareem Abdul-Jabbar #1 — FAQ
Is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar #1 sells for $26,975 against $44.99 raw: a $26,930 spread, 600× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($8,101) clears the raw price after an economy-tier ~$25 fee, so a near-miss still comes out ahead. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar #1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar #1 (Basketball Cards 1986 Fleer Sticker) sells for about $26,975 versus $44.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 600× premium as of Aug 19, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar #1?
By resale value, SGC 10 leads at $50,000, ahead of BGS 10 at $35,067. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Kareem Abdul-Jabbar #1 need for a SGC 10?
SGC publishes 55/45 front and 75/25 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.
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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