Is Michael Jordan #MJ12 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1999 Upper Deck Encore MJ A Higher Power · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #MJ12 sells for $167 against $51.00 raw: a $116 spread, 3.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($152) 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)
- $51.00
- Grade 9.5
- $167
- PSA 9
- $152
- Gem premium
- 3.3×
- 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 | $167 | +$91.00 | +$66.00 | −$34.00 |
| PSA 9 | $152 | +$76.09 | +$51.09 | −$48.91 |
Net = sale price − $51.00 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% | $156 | +$54.82 |
| 50% | $160 | +$58.55 |
| 75% | $163 | +$62.27 |
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 | $167 |
| 9 | $152 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1999 Upper Deck Encore MJ A Higher Power cards worth checking
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Grading Michael Jordan #MJ12 — FAQ
Is Michael Jordan #MJ12 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Michael Jordan #MJ12 sells for $167 against $51.00 raw: a $116 spread, 3.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($152) 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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