Is Michael Jordan #101 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1984 Star · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #101 sells for $250,763 against $9,937 raw: a $240,826 spread, 25× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($227,966) 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)
- $9,937
- Grade 9.5
- $250,763
- PSA 9
- $227,966
- Gem premium
- 25×
- As of
- Oct 10, 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 | $250,763 | +$240,801 | +$240,776 | +$240,676 |
| PSA 9 | $227,966 | +$218,004 | +$217,979 | +$217,879 |
| PSA 8 | $119,560 | +$109,598 | +$109,573 | +$109,473 |
Net = sale price − $9,937 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% | $233,665 | +$223,678 |
| 50% | $239,365 | +$229,377 |
| 75% | $245,064 | +$235,077 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading Michael Jordan #101 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #101 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #101 sells for $250,763 against $9,937 raw: a $240,826 spread, 25× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($227,966) 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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