Is Michael Jordan #171 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1993 Upper Deck · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #171 sells for $191 against $2.06 raw: a $189 spread, 93× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.75) 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)
- $2.06
- PSA 10
- $191
- PSA 9
- $34.75
- Gem premium
- 93×
- As of
- Jul 11, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — PSA 10 | $191 | +$164 | +$139 | +$38.83 |
| PSA 9 | $34.75 | +$7.69 | −$17.31 | −$117 |
| PSA 8 | $20.00 | −$7.06 | −$32.06 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $2.06 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% | $73.78 | +$21.72 |
| 50% | $113 | +$60.76 |
| 75% | $152 | +$99.79 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 11%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $248 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $191 | −$57.11 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $115 | −$133 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $45.00 | −$203 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $191 | $115 | $248 | $45.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $39.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $34.75 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $20.00 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $11.25 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Grading Michael Jordan #171 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #171 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #171 sells for $191 against $2.06 raw: a $189 spread, 93× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.75) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Michael Jordan #171 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #171 (Basketball Cards 1993 Upper Deck) sells for about $191 versus $2.06 for a raw near-mint copy — a 93× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Michael Jordan #171?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $248, ahead of PSA 10 at $191. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Michael Jordan #171 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
What gem rate makes grading Michael Jordan #171 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Michael Jordan #171 breaks even when it gems about 11% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $34.75).
Is your basketball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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