Is Yao Ming #181 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2002 Ultra · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Yao Ming #181 sell for $29.99, only $20.75 above the $9.24 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $9.24
- Grade 9.5
- $29.99
- Gem premium
- 3.2×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $29.99 | −$4.25 | −$29.25 | −$129 |
| PSA 8 | $6.72 | −$27.52 | −$52.52 | −$153 |
Net = sale price − $9.24 raw value − fee. Fee tiers are illustrative; plug your grader's current price into the calculator below.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $29.99 |
| 8 | $6.72 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Yao Ming #181 — FAQ
Is Yao Ming #181 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Yao Ming #181 sell for $29.99, only $20.75 above the $9.24 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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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