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 $164 against $19.99 raw: a $144 spread, 8.2× 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)
- $19.99
- Grade 9.5
- $164
- PSA 9
- $58.00
- Gem premium
- 8.2×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $164 | +$119 | +$93.97 | −$6.03 |
| PSA 9 | $58.00 | +$13.01 | −$11.99 | −$112 |
| PSA 8 | $31.25 | −$13.74 | −$38.74 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $19.99 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% | $84.49 | +$14.50 |
| 50% | $111 | +$40.99 |
| 75% | $137 | +$67.48 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 11%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $164 |
| 9 | $58.00 |
| 8 | $31.25 |
| 7 | $20.52 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Anthony, James, Ford — FAQ
Is Anthony, James, Ford worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Anthony, James, Ford sells for $164 against $19.99 raw: a $144 spread, 8.2× 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 11% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $58.00).
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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