Is Michael Jordan #MJ36 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Upper Deck Michael Jordan Tribute · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 58× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #MJ36 sells for $240 against $4.15 raw: a $236 spread, 58× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.35) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $4.15
- PSA 10
- $240
- PSA 9
- $18.35
- Gem premium
- 58×
- 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 | $240 | +$211 | +$186 | +$85.85 |
| PSA 9 | $18.35 | −$10.80 | −$35.80 | −$136 |
| PSA 8 | $11.00 | −$18.15 | −$43.15 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $4.15 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% | $73.76 | +$19.61 |
| 50% | $129 | +$75.03 |
| 75% | $185 | +$130 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 16%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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 | $312 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $240 | −$72.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $144 | −$168 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $144 | −$168 | 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.
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Other 1997 Upper Deck Michael Jordan Tribute cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Michael Jordan #MJ36 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #MJ36 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #MJ36 sells for $240 against $4.15 raw: a $236 spread, 58× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.35) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Michael Jordan #MJ36 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #MJ36 (Basketball Cards 1997 Upper Deck Michael Jordan Tribute) sells for about $240 versus $4.15 for a raw near-mint copy — a 58× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Michael Jordan #MJ36?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $312, ahead of PSA 10 at $240. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Michael Jordan #MJ36 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.
What gem rate makes grading Michael Jordan #MJ36 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Michael Jordan #MJ36 breaks even when it gems about 16% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $18.35).
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