Is Michael Jordan #81 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2000 Upper Deck Century Legends · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 15× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #81 sells for $66.14 against $4.42 raw: a $61.72 spread, 15× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.23) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $4.42
- PSA 10
- $66.14
- PSA 9
- $24.23
- Gem premium
- 15×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $66.14 | +$36.72 | +$11.72 | −$88.28 |
| PSA 9 | $24.23 | −$5.19 | −$30.19 | −$130 |
| PSA 8 | $8.79 | −$20.63 | −$45.63 | −$146 |
Net = sale price − $4.42 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% | $34.71 | −$19.71 |
| 50% | $45.19 | −$9.23 |
| 75% | $55.66 | +$1.24 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 72%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $86.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $66.14 | −$19.86 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $40.00 | −$46.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $40.00 | −$46.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
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Grading Michael Jordan #81 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #81 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #81 sells for $66.14 against $4.42 raw: a $61.72 spread, 15× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($24.23) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Michael Jordan #81 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #81 (Basketball Cards 2000 Upper Deck Century Legends) sells for about $66.14 versus $4.42 for a raw near-mint copy — a 15× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Michael Jordan #81?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $86.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $66.14. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Michael Jordan #81 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
What gem rate makes grading Michael Jordan #81 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Michael Jordan #81 breaks even when it gems about 72% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $24.23).
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