Is Yao Ming #JEYM worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2002 Topps Jersey Edition · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Yao Ming #JEYM sells for $133 against $28.85 raw: a $104 spread, 4.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($121) 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)
- $28.85
- Grade 9.5
- $133
- PSA 9
- $121
- Gem premium
- 4.6×
- 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 | $133 | +$79.15 | +$54.15 | −$45.85 |
| PSA 9 | $121 | +$67.15 | +$42.15 | −$57.85 |
| PSA 8 | $110 | +$56.14 | +$31.14 | −$68.86 |
Net = sale price − $28.85 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% | $124 | +$45.15 |
| 50% | $127 | +$48.15 |
| 75% | $130 | +$51.15 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading Yao Ming #JEYM — FAQ
Is Yao Ming #JEYM worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Yao Ming #JEYM sells for $133 against $28.85 raw: a $104 spread, 4.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($121) 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.
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