Is Dirk Nowitzki worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Skybox E X Century · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dirk Nowitzki sells for $427 against $12.80 raw: a $414 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.13) 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)
- $12.80
- PSA 10
- $427
- PSA 9
- $47.13
- Gem premium
- 33×
- 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 | $427 | +$389 | +$364 | +$264 |
| PSA 9 | $47.13 | +$9.33 | −$15.67 | −$116 |
| PSA 8 | $29.78 | −$8.02 | −$33.02 | −$133 |
Net = sale price − $12.80 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% | $142 | +$79.30 |
| 50% | $237 | +$174 |
| 75% | $332 | +$269 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 4%. 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 | $680 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $427 | −$253 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $256 | −$424 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $256 | −$424 | 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 | $427 | $256 | $680 | $256 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $134 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $47.13 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $29.78 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $21.62 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1998 Skybox E X Century cards worth checking
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Grading Dirk Nowitzki — FAQ
Is Dirk Nowitzki worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dirk Nowitzki sells for $427 against $12.80 raw: a $414 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.13) 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 Dirk Nowitzki worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dirk Nowitzki (Basketball Cards 1998 Skybox E X Century) sells for about $427 versus $12.80 for a raw near-mint copy — a 33× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dirk Nowitzki?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $680, ahead of PSA 10 at $427. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dirk Nowitzki 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 Dirk Nowitzki break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Dirk Nowitzki breaks even when it gems about 4% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $47.13).
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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