![Michael Jordan [Gold] #81 (Basketball Cards 2009 Upper Deck Jordan Legacy) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/7F0AAeSwBFtqaBpC/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Michael Jordan [Gold] #81 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2009 Upper Deck Jordan Legacy · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 8.0× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan [Gold] #81 sells for $114 against $14.25 raw: a $99.25 spread, 8.0× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($36.00) 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)
- $14.25
- PSA 10
- $114
- PSA 9
- $36.00
- Gem premium
- 8.0×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $114 | +$74.25 | +$49.25 | −$50.75 |
| PSA 9 | $36.00 | −$3.25 | −$28.25 | −$128 |
| PSA 8 | $18.75 | −$20.50 | −$45.50 | −$146 |
Net = sale price − $14.25 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% | $55.38 | −$8.88 |
| 50% | $74.75 | +$10.50 |
| 75% | $94.13 | +$29.88 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 36%. 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 | $148 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $114 | −$34.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $68.00 | −$80.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $68.00 | −$80.00 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $114 | $68.00 | $148 | $68.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $40.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $36.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $18.75 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $8.49 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2009 Upper Deck Jordan Legacy cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Michael Jordan [Gold] #98 2009 Upper Deck Jordan Legacy card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/tjwAAeSwg11qJHem/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Gold] #51 2009 Upper Deck Jordan Legacy card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/aaMAAeSweFVqBc4o/s-l500.jpg)
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![Michael Jordan [Gold] #96 2009 Upper Deck Jordan Legacy card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/mWwAAeSw1stqW2JT/s-l500.jpg)
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Grading Michael Jordan [Gold] #81 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan [Gold] #81 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan [Gold] #81 sells for $114 against $14.25 raw: a $99.25 spread, 8.0× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($36.00) 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 [Gold] #81 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan [Gold] #81 (Basketball Cards 2009 Upper Deck Jordan Legacy) sells for about $114 versus $14.25 for a raw near-mint copy — a 8.0× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Michael Jordan [Gold] #81?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $148, ahead of PSA 10 at $114. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Michael Jordan [Gold] #81 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 [Gold] #81 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Michael Jordan [Gold] #81 breaks even when it gems about 36% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $36.00).
Is your basketball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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