Is Michael Jordan #43 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1994 Upper Deck Jordan Heroes · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #43 sells for $68.61 against $4.75 raw: a $63.86 spread, 14× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.00) 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)
- $4.75
- Grade 9.5
- $68.61
- PSA 9
- $34.00
- Gem premium
- 14×
- 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 | $68.61 | +$38.86 | +$13.86 | −$86.14 |
| PSA 9 | $34.00 | +$4.25 | −$20.75 | −$121 |
| PSA 8 | $31.24 | +$1.49 | −$23.51 | −$124 |
Net = sale price − $4.75 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% | $42.65 | −$12.10 |
| 50% | $51.30 | −$3.45 |
| 75% | $59.96 | +$5.21 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 60%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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Grading Michael Jordan #43 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #43 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #43 sells for $68.61 against $4.75 raw: a $63.86 spread, 14× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.00) 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.
What gem rate makes grading Michael Jordan #43 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Michael Jordan #43 breaks even when it gems about 60% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $34.00).
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