Is Anthony, James, Ford worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2003 Topps Rookie Matrix · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Anthony, James, Ford sells for $165 against $22.50 raw: a $142 spread, 7.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($58.00) 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)
- $22.50
- Grade 9.5
- $165
- PSA 9
- $58.00
- Gem premium
- 7.3×
- 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 | $165 | +$117 | +$92.48 | −$7.52 |
| PSA 9 | $58.00 | +$10.50 | −$14.50 | −$115 |
| PSA 8 | $31.25 | −$16.25 | −$41.25 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $22.50 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% | $84.75 | +$12.25 |
| 50% | $111 | +$38.99 |
| 75% | $138 | +$65.73 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 14%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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Grading Anthony, James, Ford — FAQ
Is Anthony, James, Ford worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Anthony, James, Ford sells for $165 against $22.50 raw: a $142 spread, 7.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($58.00) 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.
What gem rate makes grading Anthony, James, Ford break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Anthony, James, Ford breaks even when it gems about 14% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $58.00).
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