Is George Mikan #69 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1948 Bowman · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 George Mikan #69 sells for $509,960 against $4,852 raw: a $505,108 spread, 105× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($463,600) 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)
- $4,852
- Grade 9.5
- $509,960
- PSA 9
- $463,600
- Gem premium
- 105×
- As of
- Oct 6, 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 | $509,960 | +$505,083 | +$505,058 | +$504,958 |
| PSA 9 | $463,600 | +$458,723 | +$458,698 | +$458,598 |
| PSA 8 | $73,200 | +$68,323 | +$68,298 | +$68,198 |
Net = sale price − $4,852 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% | $475,190 | +$470,288 |
| 50% | $486,780 | +$481,878 |
| 75% | $498,370 | +$493,468 |
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 George Mikan #69 — FAQ
Is George Mikan #69 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 George Mikan #69 sells for $509,960 against $4,852 raw: a $505,108 spread, 105× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($463,600) 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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