Is Tim Duncan #8 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Skybox E X2001 Jambalaya · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Tim Duncan #8 sells for $6,716 against $1,450 raw: a $5,266 spread, 4.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($6,105) 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)
- $1,450
- Grade 9.5
- $6,716
- PSA 9
- $6,105
- Gem premium
- 4.6×
- 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 | $6,716 | +$5,241 | +$5,216 | +$5,116 |
| PSA 9 | $6,105 | +$4,630 | +$4,605 | +$4,505 |
| PSA 8 | $5,550 | +$4,075 | +$4,050 | +$3,950 |
Net = sale price − $1,450 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% | $6,258 | +$4,758 |
| 50% | $6,411 | +$4,911 |
| 75% | $6,563 | +$5,063 |
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 Tim Duncan #8 — FAQ
Is Tim Duncan #8 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Tim Duncan #8 sells for $6,716 against $1,450 raw: a $5,266 spread, 4.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($6,105) 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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