Is Karl Malone Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Red #233 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2013 Fleer Retro · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Karl Malone Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Red #233 sell for $120, only $19.00 above the $101 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($109) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $101
- Grade 9.5
- $120
- PSA 9
- $109
- Gem premium
- 1.2×
- 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 | $120 | −$6.00 | −$31.00 | −$131 |
| PSA 9 | $109 | −$17.25 | −$42.25 | −$142 |
| PSA 8 | $66.22 | −$59.78 | −$84.78 | −$185 |
Net = sale price − $101 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% | $112 | −$39.44 |
| 50% | $114 | −$36.63 |
| 75% | $117 | −$33.81 |
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 Karl Malone Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Red #233 — FAQ
Is Karl Malone Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Red #233 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Karl Malone Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Red #233 sell for $120, only $19.00 above the $101 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($109) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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