Is Yao Ming #38 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2004 Skybox Premium · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Yao Ming #38 sells for $351 against $1.44 raw: a $350 spread, 244× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($319) 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)
- $1.44
- Grade 9.5
- $351
- PSA 9
- $319
- Gem premium
- 244×
- 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 | $351 | +$325 | +$300 | +$200 |
| PSA 9 | $319 | +$293 | +$268 | +$168 |
| PSA 8 | $290 | +$264 | +$239 | +$139 |
Net = sale price − $1.44 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% | $327 | +$276 |
| 50% | $335 | +$284 |
| 75% | $343 | +$292 |
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 Yao Ming #38 — FAQ
Is Yao Ming #38 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Yao Ming #38 sells for $351 against $1.44 raw: a $350 spread, 244× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($319) 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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