Is Tim Duncan #1 AR worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Ultra All-Rookies · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Tim Duncan #1 AR sells for $45.00 against $5.00 raw: a $40.00 spread, 9.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.00) 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)
- $5.00
- Grade 9.5
- $45.00
- PSA 9
- $32.00
- Gem premium
- 9.0×
- 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 | $45.00 | +$15.00 | −$10.00 | −$110 |
| PSA 9 | $32.00 | +$2.00 | −$23.00 | −$123 |
| PSA 8 | $11.63 | −$18.37 | −$43.37 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $5.00 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% | $35.25 | −$19.75 |
| 50% | $38.50 | −$16.50 |
| 75% | $41.75 | −$13.25 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Full set checklist →Grading Tim Duncan #1 AR — FAQ
Is Tim Duncan #1 AR worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Tim Duncan #1 AR sells for $45.00 against $5.00 raw: a $40.00 spread, 9.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.00) 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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