Is Charles Barkley #2 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1986 Star Best Of The Best · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Charles Barkley #2 sells for $960 against $94.61 raw: a $865 spread, 10× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($873) 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)
- $94.61
- Grade 9.5
- $960
- PSA 9
- $873
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $960 | +$840 | +$815 | +$715 |
| PSA 9 | $873 | +$753 | +$728 | +$628 |
Net = sale price − $94.61 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% | $895 | +$750 |
| 50% | $917 | +$772 |
| 75% | $938 | +$794 |
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 Charles Barkley #2 — FAQ
Is Charles Barkley #2 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Charles Barkley #2 sells for $960 against $94.61 raw: a $865 spread, 10× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($873) 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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