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 $7,621 against $5.12 raw: a $7,616 spread, 1488× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($6,928) 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
- $7,621
- PSA 9
- $6,928
- Gem premium
- 1488×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $7,621 | +$7,591 | +$7,566 | +$7,466 |
| PSA 9 | $6,928 | +$6,898 | +$6,873 | +$6,773 |
| PSA 8 | $1,023 | +$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% | $7,102 | +$7,046 |
| 50% | $7,275 | +$7,220 |
| 75% | $7,448 | +$7,393 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading Michael Jordan #143 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #143 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #143 sells for $7,621 against $5.12 raw: a $7,616 spread, 1488× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($6,928) 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.
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