Is Michael Jordan #3 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1994 E Motion N Tense · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #3 sells for $5,000 against $851 raw: a $4,149 spread, 5.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,768) 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)
- $851
- PSA 10
- $5,000
- PSA 9
- $1,768
- Gem premium
- 5.9×
- 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 | $5,000 | +$4,124 | +$4,099 | +$3,999 |
| PSA 9 | $1,768 | +$892 | +$867 | +$767 |
| PSA 8 | $999 | +$123 | +$97.88 | −$2.12 |
Net = sale price − $851 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% | $2,576 | +$1,675 |
| 50% | $3,384 | +$2,483 |
| 75% | $4,192 | +$3,291 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $6,500 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $5,000 | −$1,500 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $3,000 | −$3,500 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,073 | −$5,428 | 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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Grading Michael Jordan #3 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #3 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #3 sells for $5,000 against $851 raw: a $4,149 spread, 5.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,768) 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 #3 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #3 (Basketball Cards 1994 E Motion N Tense) sells for about $5,000 versus $851 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.9× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Michael Jordan #3?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $6,500, ahead of PSA 10 at $5,000. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Michael Jordan #3 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.
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