Is Yao Ming #169 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2002 Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Yao Ming #169 sells for $725 against $340 raw: a $385 spread, 2.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($659) 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)
- $340
- Grade 9.5
- $725
- PSA 9
- $659
- Gem premium
- 2.1×
- 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 | $725 | +$360 | +$335 | +$235 |
| PSA 9 | $659 | +$294 | +$269 | +$169 |
| PSA 8 | $350 | −$15.00 | −$40.00 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $340 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% | $676 | +$286 |
| 50% | $692 | +$302 |
| 75% | $709 | +$319 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $725 |
| 9 | $659 |
| 8 | $350 |
| 7 | $336 |
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 Yao Ming #169 — FAQ
Is Yao Ming #169 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Yao Ming #169 sells for $725 against $340 raw: a $385 spread, 2.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($659) 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.
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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