Is Michael Jordan #M4 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Metal Decade of Excellence · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #M4 sells for $1,152 against $364 raw: a $788 spread, 3.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,048) 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)
- $364
- Grade 9.5
- $1,152
- PSA 9
- $1,048
- Gem premium
- 3.2×
- 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 | $1,152 | +$763 | +$738 | +$638 |
| PSA 9 | $1,048 | +$659 | +$634 | +$534 |
| PSA 8 | $573 | +$184 | +$159 | +$59.12 |
Net = sale price − $364 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% | $1,074 | +$660 |
| 50% | $1,100 | +$686 |
| 75% | $1,126 | +$712 |
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 1996 Metal Decade of Excellence cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Michael Jordan #M4 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #M4 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #M4 sells for $1,152 against $364 raw: a $788 spread, 3.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,048) 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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