Is Karl Malone/John Stockton #TL8 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1992 Skybox Thunder & Lightning · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Karl Malone/John Stockton #TL8 sells for $98.00 against $2.10 raw: a $95.90 spread, 47× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($89.00) 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)
- $2.10
- Grade 9.5
- $98.00
- PSA 9
- $89.00
- Gem premium
- 47×
- As of
- Sep 3, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — Grade 9.5 | $98.00 | +$70.90 | +$45.90 | −$54.10 |
| PSA 9 | $89.00 | +$61.90 | +$36.90 | −$63.10 |
| PSA 8 | $35.00 | +$7.90 | −$17.10 | −$117 |
Net = sale price − $2.10 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% | $91.25 | +$39.15 |
| 50% | $93.50 | +$41.40 |
| 75% | $95.75 | +$43.65 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Other 1992 Skybox Thunder & Lightning cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Karl Malone/John Stockton #TL8 — FAQ
Is Karl Malone/John Stockton #TL8 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Karl Malone/John Stockton #TL8 sells for $98.00 against $2.10 raw: a $95.90 spread, 47× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($89.00) 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.
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