![Carmelo Anthony [Gold Collection] #5 (Basketball Cards 2003 Upper Deck Top Prospects) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/O7gAAeSwAMdqpu~d/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Carmelo Anthony [Gold Collection] #5 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2003 Upper Deck Top Prospects · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Carmelo Anthony [Gold Collection] #5 sells for $200 against $6.88 raw: a $193 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($41.00) 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)
- $6.88
- Grade 9.5
- $200
- PSA 9
- $41.00
- Gem premium
- 29×
- 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 | $200 | +$168 | +$143 | +$43.11 |
| PSA 9 | $41.00 | +$9.12 | −$15.88 | −$116 |
| PSA 8 | $31.00 | −$0.88 | −$25.88 | −$126 |
Net = sale price − $6.88 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% | $80.75 | +$23.87 |
| 50% | $120 | +$63.62 |
| 75% | $160 | +$103 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 10%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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Grading Carmelo Anthony [Gold Collection] #5 — FAQ
Is Carmelo Anthony [Gold Collection] #5 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Carmelo Anthony [Gold Collection] #5 sells for $200 against $6.88 raw: a $193 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($41.00) 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 Carmelo Anthony [Gold Collection] #5 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Carmelo Anthony [Gold Collection] #5 breaks even when it gems about 10% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $41.00).
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