Is Serena Williams worth grading?
Tennis · Tennis Cards 1999 Sports Illustrated for Kids · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Serena Williams sells for $2,200 against $24.60 raw: a $2,175 spread, 89× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,000) 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)
- $24.60
- Grade 9.5
- $2,200
- PSA 9
- $2,000
- Gem premium
- 89×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $2,200 | +$2,150 | +$2,125 | +$2,025 |
| PSA 9 | $2,000 | +$1,950 | +$1,925 | +$1,825 |
| PSA 8 | $1,000 | +$950 | +$925 | +$825 |
Net = sale price − $24.60 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% | $2,050 | +$1,975 |
| 50% | $2,100 | +$2,025 |
| 75% | $2,150 | +$2,075 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $2,200 |
| 9 | $2,000 |
| 8 | $1,000 |
| 7 | $300 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Grading Serena Williams — FAQ
Is Serena Williams worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Serena Williams sells for $2,200 against $24.60 raw: a $2,175 spread, 89× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,000) 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.
Is your tennis 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.
Check my card free