Is Magic vs. Jordan #34 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1991 Upper Deck · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Magic vs. Jordan #34 sells for $198 against $2.50 raw: a $196 spread, 79× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.13) 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)
- $2.50
- PSA 10
- $198
- PSA 9
- $34.13
- Gem premium
- 79×
- 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 | $198 | +$171 | +$146 | +$45.73 |
| PSA 9 | $34.13 | +$6.63 | −$18.37 | −$118 |
| PSA 8 | $22.24 | −$5.26 | −$30.26 | −$130 |
Net = sale price − $2.50 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% | $75.16 | +$22.66 |
| 50% | $116 | +$63.68 |
| 75% | $157 | +$105 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 11%. 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 | $258 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $198 | −$59.77 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $72.26 | −$186 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $48.00 | −$210 | 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 Magic vs. Jordan #34 — FAQ
Is Magic vs. Jordan #34 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Magic vs. Jordan #34 sells for $198 against $2.50 raw: a $196 spread, 79× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.13) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Magic vs. Jordan #34 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Magic vs. Jordan #34 (Basketball Cards 1991 Upper Deck) sells for about $198 versus $2.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 79× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Magic vs. Jordan #34?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $258, ahead of PSA 10 at $198. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Magic vs. Jordan #34 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 Magic vs. Jordan #34 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Magic vs. Jordan #34 breaks even when it gems about 11% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $34.13).
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