Is Michael Jordan #20 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Upper Deck MJ Career Collection · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #20 sells for $286 against $11.53 raw: a $274 spread, 25× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($98.00) 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)
- $11.53
- PSA 10
- $286
- PSA 9
- $98.00
- Gem premium
- 25×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $286 | +$249 | +$224 | +$124 |
| PSA 9 | $98.00 | +$61.47 | +$36.47 | −$63.53 |
| PSA 8 | $88.69 | +$52.16 | +$27.16 | −$72.84 |
Net = sale price − $11.53 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% | $145 | +$83.41 |
| 50% | $192 | +$130 |
| 75% | $239 | +$177 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $371 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $286 | −$85.25 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $171 | −$200 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $171 | −$200 | 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.
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Grading Michael Jordan #20 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #20 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #20 sells for $286 against $11.53 raw: a $274 spread, 25× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($98.00) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Michael Jordan #20 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Michael Jordan #20 (Basketball Cards 1998 Upper Deck MJ Career Collection) sells for about $286 versus $11.53 for a raw near-mint copy — a 25× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Michael Jordan #20?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $371, ahead of PSA 10 at $286. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Michael Jordan #20 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.
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