Is Michael Jordan #MJ-21 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2001 Upper Deck MJ's Back · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #MJ-21 sells for $55.00 against $3.98 raw: a $51.02 spread, 14× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($50.00) 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)
- $3.98
- Grade 9.5
- $55.00
- PSA 9
- $50.00
- Gem premium
- 14×
- 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 | $55.00 | +$26.02 | +$1.02 | −$98.98 |
| PSA 9 | $50.00 | +$21.02 | −$3.98 | −$104 |
| PSA 8 | $20.00 | −$8.98 | −$33.98 | −$134 |
Net = sale price − $3.98 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% | $51.25 | −$2.73 |
| 50% | $52.50 | −$1.48 |
| 75% | $53.75 | −$0.23 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 80%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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Grading Michael Jordan #MJ-21 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #MJ-21 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #MJ-21 sells for $55.00 against $3.98 raw: a $51.02 spread, 14× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($50.00) 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 Michael Jordan #MJ-21 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Michael Jordan #MJ-21 breaks even when it gems about 80% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $50.00).
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