Is John Williams [Error] #31 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1989 Fleer · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 John Williams [Error] #31 sells for $82.00 against $2.86 raw: a $79.14 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($74.99) 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)
- $2.86
- Grade 9.5
- $82.00
- PSA 9
- $74.99
- Gem premium
- 29×
- 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 | $82.00 | +$54.14 | +$29.14 | −$70.86 |
| PSA 9 | $74.99 | +$47.13 | +$22.13 | −$77.87 |
Net = sale price − $2.86 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% | $76.74 | +$23.88 |
| 50% | $78.50 | +$25.64 |
| 75% | $80.25 | +$27.39 |
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 John Williams [Error] #31 — FAQ
Is John Williams [Error] #31 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 John Williams [Error] #31 sells for $82.00 against $2.86 raw: a $79.14 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($74.99) 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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