![Michael Jordan [Red] #SQ30 (Basketball Cards 1998 UD Choice Starquest) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/yYEAAeSwtv9qSmfL/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Michael Jordan [Red] #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 [Red] #SQ30 sells for $2,626 against $520 raw: a $2,106 spread, 5.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,560) 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)
- $520
- PSA 10
- $2,626
- PSA 9
- $2,560
- Gem premium
- 5.1×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $2,626 | +$2,081 | +$2,056 | +$1,956 |
| PSA 9 | $2,560 | +$2,015 | +$1,990 | +$1,890 |
| PSA 8 | $840 | +$295 | +$270 | +$170 |
Net = sale price − $520 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% | $2,576 | +$2,006 |
| 50% | $2,593 | +$2,023 |
| 75% | $2,609 | +$2,039 |
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 | $3,413 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $2,626 | −$788 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,575 | −$1,838 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,575 | −$1,838 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
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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 [Red] #SQ24 1998 UD Choice Starquest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/CJcAAeSwvRpqtsBQ/s-l500.jpg)
![Allen Iverson [Red] #SQ20 1998 UD Choice Starquest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/xZkAAeSwx8Nqthbv/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 [Red] #SQ30 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan [Red] #SQ30 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan [Red] #SQ30 sells for $2,626 against $520 raw: a $2,106 spread, 5.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,560) 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 [Red] #SQ30 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan [Red] #SQ30 (Basketball Cards 1998 UD Choice Starquest) sells for about $2,626 versus $520 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.1× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Michael Jordan [Red] #SQ30?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $3,413, ahead of PSA 10 at $2,626. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Michael Jordan [Red] #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.
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