Is Tim Duncan #R1 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 UD3 Rookie Portfolio · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Tim Duncan #R1 sells for $242 against $93.78 raw: a $148 spread, 2.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($220) 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)
- $93.78
- Grade 9.5
- $242
- PSA 9
- $220
- Gem premium
- 2.6×
- 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 | $242 | +$123 | +$98.22 | −$1.78 |
| PSA 9 | $220 | +$101 | +$76.22 | −$23.78 |
| PSA 8 | $135 | +$16.21 | −$8.79 | −$109 |
Net = sale price − $93.78 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% | $226 | +$81.72 |
| 50% | $231 | +$87.22 |
| 75% | $237 | +$92.72 |
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 #R1 — FAQ
Is Tim Duncan #R1 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Tim Duncan #R1 sells for $242 against $93.78 raw: a $148 spread, 2.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($220) 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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