Is Michael Jordan #MJ42 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Upper Deck Michael Jordan Tribute · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 32× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #MJ42 sells for $133 against $4.13 raw: a $129 spread, 32× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($27.82) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $4.13
- PSA 10
- $133
- PSA 9
- $27.82
- Gem premium
- 32×
- 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 | $133 | +$104 | +$78.52 | −$21.48 |
| PSA 9 | $27.82 | −$1.31 | −$26.31 | −$126 |
| PSA 8 | $16.50 | −$12.63 | −$37.63 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $4.13 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% | $54.03 | −$0.10 |
| 50% | $80.23 | +$26.11 |
| 75% | $106 | +$52.31 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 25%. 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 | $172 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $133 | −$39.35 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $80.00 | −$92.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $80.00 | −$92.00 | 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 #MJ42 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #MJ42 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #MJ42 sells for $133 against $4.13 raw: a $129 spread, 32× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($27.82) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Michael Jordan #MJ42 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #MJ42 (Basketball Cards 1997 Upper Deck Michael Jordan Tribute) sells for about $133 versus $4.13 for a raw near-mint copy — a 32× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Michael Jordan #MJ42?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $172, ahead of PSA 10 at $133. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Michael Jordan #MJ42 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 #MJ42 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Michael Jordan #MJ42 breaks even when it gems about 25% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $27.82).
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