Is Karl Malone #9 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1993 Ultra Famous Nicknames · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Karl Malone #9 sells for $480 against $3.00 raw: a $477 spread, 160× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.00) 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)
- $3.00
- PSA 10
- $480
- PSA 9
- $35.00
- Gem premium
- 160×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $480 | +$452 | +$427 | +$327 |
| PSA 9 | $35.00 | +$7.00 | −$18.00 | −$118 |
| PSA 8 | $32.00 | +$4.00 | −$21.00 | −$121 |
Net = sale price − $3.00 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% | $146 | +$93.25 |
| 50% | $258 | +$205 |
| 75% | $369 | +$316 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 4%. 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 | $624 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $480 | −$144 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $288 | −$336 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $288 | −$336 | 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.
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Grading Karl Malone #9 — FAQ
Is Karl Malone #9 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Karl Malone #9 sells for $480 against $3.00 raw: a $477 spread, 160× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.00) 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 Karl Malone #9 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Karl Malone #9 (Basketball Cards 1993 Ultra Famous Nicknames) sells for about $480 versus $3.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 160× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Karl Malone #9?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $624, ahead of PSA 10 at $480. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Karl Malone #9 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 Karl Malone #9 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Karl Malone #9 breaks even when it gems about 4% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $35.00).
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