Is Nikola Jokic [Gold Wave] #5 worth grading?

Basketball · Basketball Cards 2022 Panini Donruss Optic Lights Out · full price guide →

Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw

A Grade 9.5 Nikola Jokic [Gold Wave] #5 sells for $149 against $96.72 raw: a $52.28 spread, 1.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($135) 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): $96.72
Grade 9.5: $149
PSA 9: $135
Gem premium: 1.5×
As of: Sep 4, 2026

Break-even by outcome and fee

Nikola Jokic [Gold Wave] #5: net result of grading versus selling raw, by outcome and fee tier
If it comes back…	Sells for	Economy / bulk (~$25.00)	Standard (~$50.00)	Express (~$150)
Gem — Grade 9.5	$149	+$27.28	+$2.28	−$97.72
PSA 9	$135	+$13.28	−$11.72	−$112

Net = sale price − $96.72 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?

Nikola Jokic [Gold Wave] #5: expected value of submitting by gem probability
Chance it gems	Expected sale	Expected net (standard fee)
25%	$139	−$8.22
50%	$142	−$4.72
75%	$146	−$1.22

Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 84%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.

Full grade ladder

Raw conditions & history →

Nikola Jokic [Gold Wave] #5 graded prices by company and grade
Grade	Graded
9.5	$149
9	$135

Run your own numbers

Should I pay this?

Asking priceGrading fee

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Raw $300PSA 10 $475

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Raw $145Graded $275

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Raw $41.00Graded $176

Grading Nikola Jokic [Gold Wave] #5 — FAQ

Is Nikola Jokic [Gold Wave] #5 worth grading?

What gem rate makes grading Nikola Jokic [Gold Wave] #5 break even?

At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Nikola Jokic [Gold Wave] #5 breaks even when it gems about 84% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $135).

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