![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 $108 against $31.55 raw: a $76.45 spread, 3.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($98.00) 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)
- $31.55
- Grade 9.5
- $108
- PSA 9
- $98.00
- Gem premium
- 3.4×
- 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 | $108 | +$51.45 | +$26.45 | −$73.55 |
| PSA 9 | $98.00 | +$41.45 | +$16.45 | −$83.55 |
| PSA 8 | $89.34 | +$32.79 | +$7.79 | −$92.21 |
Net = sale price − $31.55 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% | $101 | +$18.95 |
| 50% | $103 | +$21.45 |
| 75% | $106 | +$23.95 |
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 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 $108 against $31.55 raw: a $76.45 spread, 3.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($98.00) 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.
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