Is Michael Jordan #1 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1985 Star Last 11 ROY · full price guide →
Worth grading only if it gems
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #1 brings $13,561 versus $9,100 raw — a $4,461 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($7,810) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money.
- Raw (NM)
- $9,100
- Grade 9.5
- $13,561
- PSA 9
- $7,810
- Gem premium
- 1.5×
- 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 | $13,561 | +$4,436 | +$4,411 | +$4,311 |
| PSA 9 | $7,810 | −$1,315 | −$1,340 | −$1,440 |
| PSA 8 | $7,100 | −$2,025 | −$2,050 | −$2,150 |
Net = sale price − $9,100 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% | $9,248 | +$97.76 |
| 50% | $10,686 | +$1,536 |
| 75% | $12,123 | +$2,973 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 23%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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Grading Michael Jordan #1 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #1 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #1 brings $13,561 versus $9,100 raw — a $4,461 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($7,810) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money.
What gem rate makes grading Michael Jordan #1 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Michael Jordan #1 breaks even when it gems about 23% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $7,810).
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