Is Larry Johnson #1 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1993 Ultra Power in the Key · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Larry Johnson #1 sells for $351 against $8.74 raw: a $342 spread, 40× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($319) 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)
- $8.74
- Grade 9.5
- $351
- PSA 9
- $319
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $351 | +$317 | +$292 | +$192 |
| PSA 9 | $319 | +$285 | +$260 | +$160 |
| PSA 8 | $81.45 | +$47.71 | +$22.71 | −$77.29 |
Net = sale price − $8.74 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% | $327 | +$268 |
| 50% | $335 | +$276 |
| 75% | $343 | +$284 |
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 Larry Johnson #1 — FAQ
Is Larry Johnson #1 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Larry Johnson #1 sells for $351 against $8.74 raw: a $342 spread, 40× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($319) 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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