![Vince Carter [Gold F/X] #118 (Basketball Cards 1998 Upper Deck Encore) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/l~YAAeSwwYxpunuO/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Vince Carter [Gold F/X] #118 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Upper Deck Encore · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Vince Carter [Gold F/X] #118 sells for $264 against $19.95 raw: a $244 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($240) 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)
- $19.95
- Grade 9.5
- $264
- PSA 9
- $240
- Gem premium
- 13×
- 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 | $264 | +$219 | +$194 | +$94.05 |
| PSA 9 | $240 | +$195 | +$170 | +$69.75 |
| PSA 8 | $162 | +$118 | +$92.54 | −$7.46 |
Net = sale price − $19.95 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% | $246 | +$176 |
| 50% | $252 | +$182 |
| 75% | $258 | +$188 |
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 | $264 |
| 9 | $240 |
| 8 | $162 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1998 Upper Deck Encore cards worth checking
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Grading Vince Carter [Gold F/X] #118 — FAQ
Is Vince Carter [Gold F/X] #118 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Vince Carter [Gold F/X] #118 sells for $264 against $19.95 raw: a $244 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($240) 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 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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