Is Michael Jordan #J1 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 SP Top Prospects Phi Beta Jordan · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #J1 sells for $56.00 against $9.95 raw: a $46.05 spread, 5.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($50.72) 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)
- $9.95
- Grade 9.5
- $56.00
- PSA 9
- $50.72
- Gem premium
- 5.6×
- 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 | $56.00 | +$21.05 | −$3.95 | −$104 |
| PSA 9 | $50.72 | +$15.77 | −$9.23 | −$109 |
| PSA 8 | $18.50 | −$16.45 | −$41.45 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $9.95 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% | $52.04 | −$7.91 |
| 50% | $53.36 | −$6.59 |
| 75% | $54.68 | −$5.27 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Michael Jordan #J1 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #J1 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #J1 sells for $56.00 against $9.95 raw: a $46.05 spread, 5.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($50.72) 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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