Is Gary Payton worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Topps · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 80× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Gary Payton sells for $201 against $2.51 raw: a $198 spread, 80× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($10.55) 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)
- $2.51
- PSA 10
- $201
- PSA 9
- $10.55
- Gem premium
- 80×
- 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 | $201 | +$173 | +$148 | +$48.19 |
| PSA 9 | $10.55 | −$16.96 | −$41.96 | −$142 |
Net = sale price − $2.51 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% | $58.09 | +$5.58 |
| 50% | $106 | +$53.11 |
| 75% | $153 | +$101 |
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 | $261 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $201 | −$60.30 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $120 | −$141 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $120 | −$141 | 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 | $201 | $120 | $261 | $120 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $12.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $10.55 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1998 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
![Michael Jordan [O Pee Chee] 1998 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/y-4AAeSwQBhqXXV~/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Gary Payton — FAQ
Is Gary Payton worth grading?
A PSA 10 Gary Payton sells for $201 against $2.51 raw: a $198 spread, 80× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($10.55) 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 Gary Payton worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Gary Payton (Basketball Cards 1998 Topps) sells for about $201 versus $2.51 for a raw near-mint copy — a 80× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Gary Payton?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $261, ahead of PSA 10 at $201. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Gary Payton 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 Gary Payton break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Gary Payton breaks even when it gems about 22% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $10.55).
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