Is Michael Jordan #1 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2011 SP Authentic · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 17× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #1 sells for $135 against $7.74 raw: a $127 spread, 17× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($32.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $7.74
- PSA 10
- $135
- PSA 9
- $32.50
- Gem premium
- 17×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $135 | +$102 | +$76.76 | −$23.24 |
| PSA 9 | $32.50 | −$0.24 | −$25.24 | −$125 |
| PSA 8 | $24.04 | −$8.70 | −$33.70 | −$134 |
Net = sale price − $7.74 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% | $58.00 | +$0.26 |
| 50% | $83.50 | +$25.76 |
| 75% | $109 | +$51.26 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 25%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $175 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $135 | −$40.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $81.00 | −$94.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $30.24 | −$145 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
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Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
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Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Michael Jordan #1 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #1 sells for $135 against $7.74 raw: a $127 spread, 17× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($32.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Michael Jordan #1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #1 (Basketball Cards 2011 SP Authentic) sells for about $135 versus $7.74 for a raw near-mint copy — a 17× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Michael Jordan #1?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $175, ahead of PSA 10 at $135. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Michael Jordan #1 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
What gem rate makes grading Michael Jordan #1 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Michael Jordan #1 breaks even when it gems about 25% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $32.50).
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