Is Yao Ming #132 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2002 Upper Deck Authentics · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Yao Ming #132 sells for $92.00 against $38.86 raw: a $53.14 spread, 2.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($84.00) 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)
- $38.86
- Grade 9.5
- $92.00
- PSA 9
- $84.00
- Gem premium
- 2.4×
- 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 | $92.00 | +$28.14 | +$3.14 | −$96.86 |
| PSA 9 | $84.00 | +$20.14 | −$4.86 | −$105 |
| PSA 8 | $26.00 | −$37.86 | −$62.86 | −$163 |
Net = sale price − $38.86 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% | $86.00 | −$2.86 |
| 50% | $88.00 | −$0.86 |
| 75% | $90.00 | +$1.14 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 61%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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Full set checklist →Grading Yao Ming #132 — FAQ
Is Yao Ming #132 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Yao Ming #132 sells for $92.00 against $38.86 raw: a $53.14 spread, 2.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($84.00) 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 Yao Ming #132 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Yao Ming #132 breaks even when it gems about 61% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $84.00).
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