![Michael Jordan [Gold Medallion] #259G (Basketball Cards 1997 Ultra) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/neQAAeSwPqFprg4g/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Michael Jordan [Gold Medallion] #259G worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Ultra · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 3.0× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan [Gold Medallion] #259G sells for $400 against $132 raw: a $268 spread, 3.0× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($128) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $132
- PSA 10
- $400
- PSA 9
- $128
- Gem premium
- 3.0×
- 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 | $400 | +$243 | +$218 | +$118 |
| PSA 9 | $128 | −$29.41 | −$54.41 | −$154 |
| PSA 8 | $43.49 | −$113 | −$138 | −$238 |
Net = sale price − $132 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% | $196 | +$13.72 |
| 50% | $264 | +$81.84 |
| 75% | $332 | +$150 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 20%. 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 | $520 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $400 | −$120 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $240 | −$280 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $240 | −$280 | 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 | $400 | $240 | $520 | $240 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $392 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $128 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $43.49 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $29.99 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1997 Ultra cards worth checking
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Grading Michael Jordan [Gold Medallion] #259G — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan [Gold Medallion] #259G worth grading?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan [Gold Medallion] #259G sells for $400 against $132 raw: a $268 spread, 3.0× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($128) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Michael Jordan [Gold Medallion] #259G worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan [Gold Medallion] #259G (Basketball Cards 1997 Ultra) sells for about $400 versus $132 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3.0× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Michael Jordan [Gold Medallion] #259G?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $520, ahead of PSA 10 at $400. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Michael Jordan [Gold Medallion] #259G 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 [Gold Medallion] #259G break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Michael Jordan [Gold Medallion] #259G breaks even when it gems about 20% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $128).
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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