Is Michael Jordan #98 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1999 Upper Deck Ultimate Victory · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #98 sells for $966 against $2.87 raw: a $963 spread, 337× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($878) 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)
- $2.87
- Grade 9.5
- $966
- PSA 9
- $878
- Gem premium
- 337×
- 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 | $966 | +$938 | +$913 | +$813 |
| PSA 9 | $878 | +$850 | +$825 | +$725 |
| PSA 8 | $130 | +$102 | +$77.08 | −$22.92 |
Net = sale price − $2.87 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% | $900 | +$847 |
| 50% | $922 | +$869 |
| 75% | $944 | +$891 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading Michael Jordan #98 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #98 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #98 sells for $966 against $2.87 raw: a $963 spread, 337× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($878) 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.
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