Is Tim Thomas #35G worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Ultra Gold Medallion · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Tim Thomas #35G sell for $4.00, only $3.01 above the $0.99 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($3.58) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $0.99
- Grade 9.5
- $4.00
- PSA 9
- $3.58
- Gem premium
- 4.0×
- 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 | $4.00 | −$21.99 | −$46.99 | −$147 |
| PSA 9 | $3.58 | −$22.41 | −$47.41 | −$147 |
Net = sale price − $0.99 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% | $3.69 | −$47.30 |
| 50% | $3.79 | −$47.20 |
| 75% | $3.90 | −$47.09 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Tim Thomas #35G — FAQ
Is Tim Thomas #35G worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Tim Thomas #35G sell for $4.00, only $3.01 above the $0.99 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($3.58) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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