Is Michael Jordan #1 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Upper Deck Diamond Vision · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #1 sells for $358 against $22.30 raw: a $336 spread, 16× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($325) 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)
- $22.30
- Grade 9.5
- $358
- PSA 9
- $325
- Gem premium
- 16×
- 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 | $358 | +$311 | +$286 | +$186 |
| PSA 9 | $325 | +$278 | +$253 | +$153 |
| PSA 8 | $60.50 | +$13.20 | −$11.80 | −$112 |
Net = sale price − $22.30 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% | $333 | +$261 |
| 50% | $342 | +$269 |
| 75% | $350 | +$278 |
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 #1 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #1 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #1 sells for $358 against $22.30 raw: a $336 spread, 16× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($325) 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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