![Stephon Marbury [Precious Metal] #189 (Basketball Cards 1996 Fleer Metal) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/2KUAAeSwpB1qC3bI/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Stephon Marbury [Precious Metal] #189 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Fleer Metal · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Stephon Marbury [Precious Metal] #189 sells for $243 against $87.53 raw: a $155 spread, 2.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($221) 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)
- $87.53
- Grade 9.5
- $243
- PSA 9
- $221
- Gem premium
- 2.8×
- 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 | $243 | +$130 | +$105 | +$5.47 |
| PSA 9 | $221 | +$108 | +$83.29 | −$16.71 |
| PSA 8 | $159 | +$45.97 | +$20.97 | −$79.03 |
Net = sale price − $87.53 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% | $226 | +$88.84 |
| 50% | $232 | +$94.38 |
| 75% | $237 | +$99.92 |
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 | $243 |
| 9 | $221 |
| 8 | $159 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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![Michael Jordan [Precious] #241 1996 Fleer Metal card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/t7YAAeSwmpVn6WE9/s-l500.jpg)
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Grading Stephon Marbury [Precious Metal] #189 — FAQ
Is Stephon Marbury [Precious Metal] #189 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Stephon Marbury [Precious Metal] #189 sells for $243 against $87.53 raw: a $155 spread, 2.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($221) 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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