Is Michael Jordan #4 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Metal Maximum Metal · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #4 sells for $5,200 against $165 raw: a $5,035 spread, 32× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,436) 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)
- $165
- Grade 9.5
- $5,200
- PSA 9
- $2,436
- Gem premium
- 32×
- 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 | $5,200 | +$5,010 | +$4,985 | +$4,885 |
| PSA 9 | $2,436 | +$2,246 | +$2,221 | +$2,121 |
| PSA 8 | $2,215 | +$2,025 | +$2,000 | +$1,900 |
Net = sale price − $165 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% | $3,127 | +$2,912 |
| 50% | $3,818 | +$3,603 |
| 75% | $4,509 | +$4,294 |
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 Michael Jordan #4 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #4 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #4 sells for $5,200 against $165 raw: a $5,035 spread, 32× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,436) 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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