Is Katie Smith #117 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1999 Ultra WNBA · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Katie Smith #117 sells for $66.00 against $14.25 raw: a $51.75 spread, 4.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($60.00) 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)
- $14.25
- Grade 9.5
- $66.00
- PSA 9
- $60.00
- 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 | $66.00 | +$26.75 | +$1.75 | −$98.25 |
| PSA 9 | $60.00 | +$20.75 | −$4.25 | −$104 |
| PSA 8 | $28.99 | −$10.26 | −$35.26 | −$135 |
Net = sale price − $14.25 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% | $61.50 | −$2.75 |
| 50% | $63.00 | −$1.25 |
| 75% | $64.50 | +$0.25 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 71%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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Grading Katie Smith #117 — FAQ
Is Katie Smith #117 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Katie Smith #117 sells for $66.00 against $14.25 raw: a $51.75 spread, 4.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($60.00) 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.
What gem rate makes grading Katie Smith #117 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Katie Smith #117 breaks even when it gems about 71% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $60.00).
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