Is Michael Jordan #165 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Upper Deck · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #165 sells for $436 against $2.99 raw: a $433 spread, 146× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($43.87) 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)
- $2.99
- PSA 10
- $436
- PSA 9
- $43.87
- Gem premium
- 146×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $436 | +$408 | +$383 | +$283 |
| PSA 9 | $43.87 | +$15.88 | −$9.12 | −$109 |
| PSA 8 | $20.92 | −$7.07 | −$32.07 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $2.99 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% | $142 | +$88.98 |
| 50% | $240 | +$187 |
| 75% | $338 | +$285 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 2%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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 | $567 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $436 | −$131 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $262 | −$305 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $125 | −$442 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $436 | $262 | $567 | $125 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $44.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $43.87 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $20.92 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $15.11 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
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Grading Michael Jordan #165 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #165 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #165 sells for $436 against $2.99 raw: a $433 spread, 146× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($43.87) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Michael Jordan #165 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #165 (Basketball Cards 1996 Upper Deck) sells for about $436 versus $2.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 146× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Michael Jordan #165?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $567, ahead of PSA 10 at $436. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Michael Jordan #165 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.
What gem rate makes grading Michael Jordan #165 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Michael Jordan #165 breaks even when it gems about 2% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $43.87).
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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