Is Michael Jordan #SQ30 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 UD Choice Starquest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #SQ30 sells for $1,389 against $16.38 raw: a $1,373 spread, 85× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($171) 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)
- $16.38
- PSA 10
- $1,389
- PSA 9
- $171
- Gem premium
- 85×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $1,389 | +$1,348 | +$1,323 | +$1,223 |
| PSA 9 | $171 | +$130 | +$105 | +$5.09 |
| PSA 8 | $47.23 | +$5.85 | −$19.15 | −$119 |
Net = sale price − $16.38 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% | $476 | +$410 |
| 50% | $780 | +$714 |
| 75% | $1,085 | +$1,018 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $1,806 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,389 | −$417 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $833 | −$973 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $235 | −$1,572 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $1,389 | $235 | $1,806 | $833 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $180 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $171 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $47.23 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $24.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1998 UD Choice Starquest cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Tim Duncan [Blue] #SQ24 1998 UD Choice Starquest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/v~UAAeSwon5pvZUD/s-l500.jpg)
![Allen Iverson [Blue] #SQ20 1998 UD Choice Starquest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/CvYAAeSwdqlqW6mE/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Green] #SQ30 1998 UD Choice Starquest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/6icAAeSwx7pqUwlv/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Green] #SQ13 1998 UD Choice Starquest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/6jQAAeSwGjJqT~Ae/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Red] #SQ13 1998 UD Choice Starquest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/IyIAAeSwl-1qUukf/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Michael Jordan #SQ30 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #SQ30 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #SQ30 sells for $1,389 against $16.38 raw: a $1,373 spread, 85× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($171) 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 Michael Jordan #SQ30 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #SQ30 (Basketball Cards 1998 UD Choice Starquest) sells for about $1,389 versus $16.38 for a raw near-mint copy — a 85× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Michael Jordan #SQ30?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,806, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,389. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Michael Jordan #SQ30 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.
Is your basketball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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