Is Wilt Chamberlain worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1986 Hall of Fame Metallic · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Wilt Chamberlain sell for $26.00, only $3.46 above the $22.54 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($24.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $22.54
- Grade 9.5
- $26.00
- PSA 9
- $24.00
- Gem premium
- 1.2×
- 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 | $26.00 | −$21.54 | −$46.54 | −$147 |
| PSA 9 | $24.00 | −$23.54 | −$48.54 | −$149 |
Net = sale price − $22.54 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% | $24.50 | −$48.04 |
| 50% | $25.00 | −$47.54 |
| 75% | $25.50 | −$47.04 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Other 1986 Hall of Fame Metallic cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Wilt Chamberlain — FAQ
Is Wilt Chamberlain worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Wilt Chamberlain sell for $26.00, only $3.46 above the $22.54 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($24.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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