Is David Robinson #R3 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 David Robinson #R3 sells for $86.62 against $7.25 raw: a $79.37 spread, 12× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($79.99) 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)
- $7.25
- PSA 10
- $86.62
- PSA 9
- $79.99
- Gem premium
- 12×
- 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 | $86.62 | +$54.37 | +$29.37 | −$70.63 |
| PSA 9 | $79.99 | +$47.74 | +$22.74 | −$77.26 |
| PSA 8 | $22.25 | −$10.00 | −$35.00 | −$135 |
Net = sale price − $7.25 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% | $81.65 | +$24.40 |
| 50% | $83.31 | +$26.06 |
| 75% | $84.96 | +$27.71 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $113 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $86.62 | −$26.38 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $52.00 | −$61.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $52.00 | −$61.00 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
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Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![John Stockton [Refractor] #R11 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/I-gAAeSwur5qD2Fy/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Refractor] #R18 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PksAAeSw3ehqR-2V/s-l500.jpg)
![Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #R9 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Av4AAeSwgqhqm5Ux/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [w/Coating] #R1 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/gd8AAeSwZZBqDTOg/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Refractor, w/Coating] #R18 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/bK0AAeSwGFpqlPXC/s-l500.jpg)
Grading David Robinson #R3 — FAQ
Is David Robinson #R3 worth grading?
A PSA 10 David Robinson #R3 sells for $86.62 against $7.25 raw: a $79.37 spread, 12× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($79.99) 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 David Robinson #R3 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 David Robinson #R3 (Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty) sells for about $86.62 versus $7.25 for a raw near-mint copy — a 12× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for David Robinson #R3?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $113, ahead of PSA 10 at $86.62. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does David Robinson #R3 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.
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