Is Michael Jordan worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Upper Deck MJ Rare Air · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 10× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan sells for $164 against $15.63 raw: a $148 spread, 10× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($28.00) 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)
- $15.63
- PSA 10
- $164
- PSA 9
- $28.00
- Gem premium
- 10×
- 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 | $164 | +$123 | +$97.97 | −$2.03 |
| PSA 9 | $28.00 | −$12.63 | −$37.63 | −$138 |
Net = sale price − $15.63 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% | $61.90 | −$3.73 |
| 50% | $95.80 | +$30.17 |
| 75% | $130 | +$64.07 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 28%. 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 | $213 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $164 | −$49.40 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $98.00 | −$115 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $98.00 | −$115 | 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 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan worth grading?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan sells for $164 against $15.63 raw: a $148 spread, 10× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($28.00) 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 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan (Basketball Cards 1997 Upper Deck MJ Rare Air) sells for about $164 versus $15.63 for a raw near-mint copy — a 10× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Michael Jordan?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $213, ahead of PSA 10 at $164. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Michael Jordan 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 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Michael Jordan breaks even when it gems about 28% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $28.00).
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