Is Scottie Pippen #G-18 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Ultra Gold Medallion · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Scottie Pippen #G-18 sells for $250 against $8.16 raw: a $242 spread, 31× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.60) 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)
- $8.16
- PSA 10
- $250
- PSA 9
- $47.60
- Gem premium
- 31×
- 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 | $250 | +$217 | +$192 | +$91.61 |
| PSA 9 | $47.60 | +$14.44 | −$10.56 | −$111 |
| PSA 8 | $23.05 | −$10.11 | −$35.11 | −$135 |
Net = sale price − $8.16 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% | $98.14 | +$39.98 |
| 50% | $149 | +$90.53 |
| 75% | $199 | +$141 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 5%. 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 | $325 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $250 | −$75.23 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $150 | −$175 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $150 | −$175 | 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 Scottie Pippen #G-18 — FAQ
Is Scottie Pippen #G-18 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Scottie Pippen #G-18 sells for $250 against $8.16 raw: a $242 spread, 31× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.60) 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 Scottie Pippen #G-18 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Scottie Pippen #G-18 (Basketball Cards 1996 Ultra Gold Medallion) sells for about $250 versus $8.16 for a raw near-mint copy — a 31× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Scottie Pippen #G-18?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $325, ahead of PSA 10 at $250. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Scottie Pippen #G-18 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 Scottie Pippen #G-18 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Scottie Pippen #G-18 breaks even when it gems about 5% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $47.60).
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