Is Michael Jordan #A1 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 UD3 Awesome Action · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #A1 sells for $200 against $53.50 raw: a $147 spread, 3.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($182) 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)
- $53.50
- Grade 9.5
- $200
- PSA 9
- $182
- Gem premium
- 3.7×
- 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 | $200 | +$122 | +$96.50 | −$3.50 |
| PSA 9 | $182 | +$103 | +$78.49 | −$21.51 |
| PSA 8 | $135 | +$56.50 | +$31.50 | −$68.50 |
Net = sale price − $53.50 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% | $186 | +$82.99 |
| 50% | $191 | +$87.50 |
| 75% | $195 | +$92.00 |
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 Michael Jordan #A1 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #A1 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #A1 sells for $200 against $53.50 raw: a $147 spread, 3.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($182) 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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