Is LaPhonso Ellis #4 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1992 Upper Deck · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of LaPhonso Ellis #4 sell for $11.00, only $9.56 above the $1.44 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($10.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.44
- Grade 9.5
- $11.00
- PSA 9
- $10.00
- Gem premium
- 7.6×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $11.00 | −$15.44 | −$40.44 | −$140 |
| PSA 9 | $10.00 | −$16.44 | −$41.44 | −$141 |
| PSA 8 | $8.75 | −$17.69 | −$42.69 | −$143 |
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% | $10.25 | −$41.19 |
| 50% | $10.50 | −$40.94 |
| 75% | $10.75 | −$40.69 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading LaPhonso Ellis #4 — FAQ
Is LaPhonso Ellis #4 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of LaPhonso Ellis #4 sell for $11.00, only $9.56 above the $1.44 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($10.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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