Is Michael Jordan #117 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1985 Star · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #117 sells for $12,915 against $5,101 raw: a $7,815 spread, 2.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($7,566) 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)
- $5,101
- Grade 9.5
- $12,915
- PSA 9
- $7,566
- Gem premium
- 2.5×
- 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 | $12,915 | +$7,790 | +$7,765 | +$7,665 |
| PSA 9 | $7,566 | +$2,440 | +$2,415 | +$2,315 |
| PSA 8 | $5,232 | +$106 | +$81.00 | −$19.00 |
Net = sale price − $5,101 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% | $8,903 | +$3,752 |
| 50% | $10,240 | +$5,090 |
| 75% | $11,578 | +$6,427 |
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 #117 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #117 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #117 sells for $12,915 against $5,101 raw: a $7,815 spread, 2.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($7,566) 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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