Is Michael Jordan #143 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Ultra Platinum Medallion · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #143 sells for $7,409 against $5.12 raw: a $7,404 spread, 1447× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($6,735) 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)
- $5.12
- Grade 9.5
- $7,409
- PSA 9
- $6,735
- Gem premium
- 1447×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $7,409 | +$7,379 | +$7,354 | +$7,254 |
| PSA 9 | $6,735 | +$6,705 | +$6,680 | +$6,580 |
| PSA 8 | $1,022 | +$992 | +$967 | +$867 |
Net = sale price − $5.12 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% | $6,904 | +$6,848 |
| 50% | $7,072 | +$7,017 |
| 75% | $7,241 | +$7,185 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $7,409 |
| 9 | $6,735 |
| 8 | $1,022 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Michael Jordan #143 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #143 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #143 sells for $7,409 against $5.12 raw: a $7,404 spread, 1447× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($6,735) 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.
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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