Is Michael Jordan #MJ3 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2003 Upper Deck MVP A Tribute to Greatness · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Michael Jordan #MJ3 sell for $27.00, only $19.02 above the $7.98 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($24.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $7.98
- Grade 9.5
- $27.00
- PSA 9
- $24.50
- Gem premium
- 3.4×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $27.00 | −$5.98 | −$30.98 | −$131 |
| PSA 9 | $24.50 | −$8.48 | −$33.48 | −$133 |
| PSA 8 | $24.25 | −$8.73 | −$33.73 | −$134 |
Net = sale price − $7.98 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% | $25.13 | −$32.86 |
| 50% | $25.75 | −$32.23 |
| 75% | $26.38 | −$31.61 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Michael Jordan #MJ3 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #MJ3 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Michael Jordan #MJ3 sell for $27.00, only $19.02 above the $7.98 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($24.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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