Is Michael Jordan #188 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1999 Upper Deck MVP · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #188 sells for $129 against $3.23 raw: a $126 spread, 40× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($38.00) 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)
- $3.23
- PSA 10
- $129
- PSA 9
- $38.00
- Gem premium
- 40×
- 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 | $129 | +$101 | +$76.16 | −$23.84 |
| PSA 9 | $38.00 | +$9.77 | −$15.23 | −$115 |
| PSA 8 | $24.00 | −$4.23 | −$29.23 | −$129 |
Net = sale price − $3.23 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% | $60.85 | +$7.62 |
| 50% | $83.69 | +$30.46 |
| 75% | $107 | +$53.31 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 17%. 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 | $168 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $129 | −$38.61 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $78.00 | −$90.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $30.00 | −$138 | 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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Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Michael Jordan #188 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #188 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #188 sells for $129 against $3.23 raw: a $126 spread, 40× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($38.00) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Michael Jordan #188 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #188 (Basketball Cards 1999 Upper Deck MVP) sells for about $129 versus $3.23 for a raw near-mint copy — a 40× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Michael Jordan #188?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $168, ahead of PSA 10 at $129. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Michael Jordan #188 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 #188 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Michael Jordan #188 breaks even when it gems about 17% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $38.00).
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