![Trae Young [Variation Autograph Orange] #124 (Basketball Cards 2018 Panini Contenders Optic) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/y~EAAeSwzchpk4ZU/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Trae Young [Variation Autograph Orange] #124 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2018 Panini Contenders Optic · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Trae Young [Variation Autograph Orange] #124 sells for $2,449 against $925 raw: a $1,524 spread, 2.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,226) 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)
- $925
- Grade 9.5
- $2,449
- PSA 9
- $2,226
- Gem premium
- 2.6×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $2,449 | +$1,499 | +$1,474 | +$1,374 |
| PSA 9 | $2,226 | +$1,276 | +$1,251 | +$1,151 |
| PSA 8 | $2,024 | +$1,074 | +$1,049 | +$949 |
Net = sale price − $925 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% | $2,282 | +$1,307 |
| 50% | $2,338 | +$1,363 |
| 75% | $2,393 | +$1,419 |
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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Grading Trae Young [Variation Autograph Orange] #124 — FAQ
Is Trae Young [Variation Autograph Orange] #124 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Trae Young [Variation Autograph Orange] #124 sells for $2,449 against $925 raw: a $1,524 spread, 2.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,226) 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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