Is Michael Jordan #MJ50 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Upper Deck Michael Jordan Tribute · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 31× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #MJ50 sells for $152 against $4.97 raw: a $147 spread, 31× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.36) 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)
- $4.97
- PSA 10
- $152
- PSA 9
- $18.36
- Gem premium
- 31×
- 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 | $152 | +$122 | +$97.33 | −$2.67 |
| PSA 9 | $18.36 | −$11.61 | −$36.61 | −$137 |
| PSA 8 | $5.00 | −$24.97 | −$49.97 | −$150 |
Net = sale price − $4.97 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% | $51.84 | −$3.13 |
| 50% | $85.33 | +$30.36 |
| 75% | $119 | +$63.85 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 27%. 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 | $198 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $152 | −$45.70 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $91.00 | −$107 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $91.00 | −$107 | 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 #MJ50 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #MJ50 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #MJ50 sells for $152 against $4.97 raw: a $147 spread, 31× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($18.36) 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 #MJ50 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #MJ50 (Basketball Cards 1997 Upper Deck Michael Jordan Tribute) sells for about $152 versus $4.97 for a raw near-mint copy — a 31× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Michael Jordan #MJ50?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $198, ahead of PSA 10 at $152. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Michael Jordan #MJ50 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 #MJ50 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Michael Jordan #MJ50 breaks even when it gems about 27% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $18.36).
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