Is Michael Jordan #45 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1994 Upper Deck MJ Rare Air · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 62× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #45 sells for $131 against $2.11 raw: a $129 spread, 62× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($15.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $2.11
- PSA 10
- $131
- PSA 9
- $15.50
- Gem premium
- 62×
- 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 | $131 | +$104 | +$79.14 | −$20.86 |
| PSA 9 | $15.50 | −$11.61 | −$36.61 | −$137 |
| PSA 8 | $5.68 | −$21.43 | −$46.43 | −$146 |
Net = sale price − $2.11 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% | $44.44 | −$7.67 |
| 50% | $73.38 | +$21.27 |
| 75% | $102 | +$50.20 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 32%. 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 | $171 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $131 | −$39.75 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $79.00 | −$92.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $79.00 | −$92.00 | 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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Other 1994 Upper Deck MJ Rare Air cards worth checking
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![Michael Jordan [Promo] 1994 Upper Deck MJ Rare Air card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/LlUAAeSwNDJqREED/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Michael Jordan #45 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #45 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #45 sells for $131 against $2.11 raw: a $129 spread, 62× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($15.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Michael Jordan #45 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #45 (Basketball Cards 1994 Upper Deck MJ Rare Air) sells for about $131 versus $2.11 for a raw near-mint copy — a 62× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Michael Jordan #45?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $171, ahead of PSA 10 at $131. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Michael Jordan #45 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 #45 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Michael Jordan #45 breaks even when it gems about 32% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $15.50).
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