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 $24.99 above the $5.00 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $5.00
- Grade 9.5
- $29.99
- Gem premium
- 6.0×
- 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 | $29.99 | −$0.01 | −$25.01 | −$125 |
| PSA 8 | $6.79 | −$23.21 | −$48.21 | −$148 |
Net = sale price − $5.00 raw value − fee. Fee tiers are illustrative; plug your grader's current price into the calculator below.
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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 $24.99 above the $5.00 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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