Is Michael Jordan #1 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Metal Universe Titanium · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 5.1× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #1 sells for $15,425 against $3,000 raw: a $12,425 spread, 5.1× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($2,840) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $3,000
- PSA 10
- $15,425
- PSA 9
- $2,840
- Gem premium
- 5.1×
- 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 | $15,425 | +$12,400 | +$12,375 | +$12,275 |
| PSA 9 | $2,840 | −$185 | −$210 | −$310 |
| PSA 8 | $2,800 | −$225 | −$250 | −$350 |
Net = sale price − $3,000 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% | $5,986 | +$2,936 |
| 50% | $9,132 | +$6,082 |
| 75% | $12,279 | +$9,229 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 2%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | $15,425 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| BGS 10 | $14,814 | −$611 | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| CGC 10 | $9,255 | −$6,170 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $9,255 | −$6,170 | 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 | $15,425 | $9,255 | $14,814 | $9,255 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $5,311 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $2,840 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $2,800 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Grading Michael Jordan #1 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #1 sells for $15,425 against $3,000 raw: a $12,425 spread, 5.1× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($2,840) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Michael Jordan #1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #1 (Basketball Cards 1997 Metal Universe Titanium) sells for about $15,425 versus $3,000 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.1× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Michael Jordan #1?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $15,425, ahead of BGS 10 at $14,814. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Michael Jordan #1 need for a PSA 10?
PSA publishes 55/45 front and 75/25 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 #1 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Michael Jordan #1 breaks even when it gems about 2% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $2,840).
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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