![Alonzo Mourning [Precious Metal] #226 (Basketball Cards 1996 Fleer Metal) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/JY0AAeSwOUVqLEwj/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Alonzo Mourning [Precious Metal] #226 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Fleer Metal · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Alonzo Mourning [Precious Metal] #226 sells for $101 against $16.75 raw: a $84.25 spread, 6.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($92.00) 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)
- $16.75
- Grade 9.5
- $101
- PSA 9
- $92.00
- Gem premium
- 6.0×
- 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 | $101 | +$59.25 | +$34.25 | −$65.75 |
| PSA 9 | $92.00 | +$50.25 | +$25.25 | −$74.75 |
| PSA 8 | $89.12 | +$47.37 | +$22.37 | −$77.63 |
Net = sale price − $16.75 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% | $94.25 | +$27.50 |
| 50% | $96.50 | +$29.75 |
| 75% | $98.75 | +$32.00 |
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 | $101 |
| 9 | $92.00 |
| 8 | $89.12 |
| 7 | $50.00 |
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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Grading Alonzo Mourning [Precious Metal] #226 — FAQ
Is Alonzo Mourning [Precious Metal] #226 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Alonzo Mourning [Precious Metal] #226 sells for $101 against $16.75 raw: a $84.25 spread, 6.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($92.00) 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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