Is Michael Jordan #385 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Collector's Choice · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #385 sells for $189 against $2.25 raw: a $187 spread, 84× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($37.95) 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)
- $2.25
- PSA 10
- $189
- PSA 9
- $37.95
- Gem premium
- 84×
- 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 | $189 | +$162 | +$137 | +$36.75 |
| PSA 9 | $37.95 | +$10.70 | −$14.30 | −$114 |
| PSA 8 | $26.00 | −$1.25 | −$26.25 | −$126 |
Net = sale price − $2.25 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% | $75.71 | +$23.46 |
| 50% | $113 | +$61.22 |
| 75% | $151 | +$98.99 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 9%. 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 | $246 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $189 | −$57.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $113 | −$133 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $113 | −$133 | 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 | $189 | $113 | $246 | $113 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $52.15 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $37.95 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $26.00 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $17.00 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Michael Jordan #385 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #385 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #385 sells for $189 against $2.25 raw: a $187 spread, 84× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($37.95) 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 #385 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #385 (Basketball Cards 1997 Collector's Choice) sells for about $189 versus $2.25 for a raw near-mint copy — a 84× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Michael Jordan #385?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $246, ahead of PSA 10 at $189. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Michael Jordan #385 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 #385 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Michael Jordan #385 breaks even when it gems about 9% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $37.95).
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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