Is David Robinson [Bordered] #M9 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Mystery Finest · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of David Robinson [Bordered] #M9 sell for $22.51, only $20.82 above the $1.69 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($7.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.69
- PSA 10
- $22.51
- PSA 9
- $7.50
- Gem premium
- 13×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $22.51 | −$4.18 | −$29.18 | −$129 |
| PSA 9 | $7.50 | −$19.19 | −$44.19 | −$144 |
| PSA 8 | $7.50 | −$19.19 | −$44.19 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $1.69 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% | $11.25 | −$40.44 |
| 50% | $15.01 | −$36.69 |
| 75% | $18.76 | −$32.93 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $29.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $22.51 | −$6.49 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $14.00 | −$15.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $14.00 | −$15.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1996 Topps Mystery Finest cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Scottie Pippen [Borderless Refractor] #M1 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/t2YAAeSwzotphT61/s-l500.jpg)
![Dennis Rodman [Refractor] #M7 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/wD0AAeSwi8lqrMW0/s-l500.jpg)
![Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #M12 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/BPoAAeSw-jdqUAz~/s-l500.jpg)
![Anfernee Hardaway [Borderless Refractor] #M3 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/cIwAAeSwYQVqlr58/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Borderless] #M14 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/mjYAAeSwsqlqeynF/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Super Team NBA Finals] #M14 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PnMAAeSw5ctqdWBn/s-l500.jpg)
Grading David Robinson [Bordered] #M9 — FAQ
Is David Robinson [Bordered] #M9 worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of David Robinson [Bordered] #M9 sell for $22.51, only $20.82 above the $1.69 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($7.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 David Robinson [Bordered] #M9 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 David Robinson [Bordered] #M9 (Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Mystery Finest) sells for about $22.51 versus $1.69 for a raw near-mint copy — a 13× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for David Robinson [Bordered] #M9?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $29.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $22.51. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does David Robinson [Bordered] #M9 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your basketball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
