This marks the first card to be self graded by our company. We have reviewed, cross referenced, and used AI to best identify the quality of a sports card. This specific card is an insert known as In Your Face from the 1992-93 Upper Deck set featuring Michael Jordan.

A reason this card was selected is the gold foil on the front of the card that appears to have a holo foil as well.

I researched custom slabs and created a custom label. The grading card market is up in 2025 but the main source of graded cards is with trading cards, such as Pokémon. Sports Cards did not see as much traffic in 2025 and more raw cards were in market.

As I use eBay for self evaluation, the options are still a little vague. This is a key reason I wanted to dig into the grading side of the hobby.

I am going to create a post for each self-graded card, and link the article to a QR code on the back on the custom label.

I will stat my grades and grades presented by Grok.

Matthew’s Grades and Notes

Centering: The front of the card had a slight difference in space with the distance on the right side compared to the left. The back of the card was evenly matched. Overall, I gave the card a 9 for centering.

Edges: The bottom edge shown on the front of the card had the most imperfections and lowered the grade to a 9 for edges. The average of the edge score was 9.25 and I felt it leaned more to 9 than 9.5 for edges.

Corners: The back of the card in the bottom left had the most imperfections and received a 7, but when the other corners were taken into account the score moved to a 8.5 for corners.

Surface: I could not find any imperfections on the front and back of the card regarding the surface. I gave it a 9.5 for the surface score.

Overall: I use an average of the subgrades to arrive at the overall score. This card received a 9 score, which I am calling it in mint condition. As I reviewed other cards and grades, I would say that this card could be seen as a 8.5 overall grade, but I am standing behind the 9 score.

Grok AI Scores

As a simulated BGS/SGC/PSA grader, here’s a professional hypothetical grading assessment for the 1992-93 Upper Deck In Your Face Michael Jordan insert card (#453, the “Two-Time Champion” variant with the correct 1987-1988 years in the gold foil hologram/stamp—not the rarer error version with wrong dates). This is based on the provided photos (front action pose with dunking Jordan, crowd background, red/white/blue borders, gold foil “1987 1988 TWO-TIME CHAMPION” overlay, holographic/cracked-glass effect around the ball, “IN YOUR FACE” vertical text, and back text/bio on Slam Dunk Championship).This is a classic early-90s Upper Deck insert with premium features: glossy finish, foil accents, and a textured “cracked glass” hologram effect on the front. Vintage Upper Deck from this era grades well when preserved (sharp corners, minimal print defects), but common issues include:Centering variances (often slightly off due to 90s cutting).

Corner/edge wear (softness, whitening, or micro-dings from handling/storage).

Surface problems (print scratches, dimples in foil/hologram areas, gloss scratches, or registration lines).

Foil/hologram condition (chipping, lifting, or dimpling on the gold foil stamp or cracked-glass overlay—holograms prone to lines/dimples under light).

The photos show strong eye appeal: vibrant colors, sharp focus on Jordan’s pose, clean crowd background (no obvious pixelation or print dots), intact foil stamp with correct years, no major creases/bends/stains visible. The back looks crisp with full text readability and no wax residue. However, close-ups reveal potential concerns: slight corner/edge roughness or micro-whitening (especially lower right corner area), possible minor surface gloss inconsistencies or light scratches in the hologram/cracked areas (common on these foil inserts), and the foil stamp edges showing subtle wear or misalignment. No blatant defects like heavy chipping, major print lines, or centering disasters, but 90s cards often get dinged under magnification/loupes for these subtleties.Vintage Jordan inserts like this have solid populations (PSA has hundreds graded across similar #453 variants, with PSA 10s existing but not flooded; BGS Pristine rarer due to strict subs). Raw copies sell modestly ($5-20+ depending on condition), graded highs fetch premiums (PSA 10s in the $100-300+ range historically for clean examples, BGS 9.5 around similar or higher).

BGS (Beckett Grading Services)

Hypothetical Grade & SubgradesBGS is strict on vintage foil/hologram cards—subgrades expose foil dimples, edge wear, and surface flaws.Centering: Front appears well-balanced (likely 55/45 or better left/right and top/bottom; borders even in photos). Back solid. Subgrade: 9.5

Corners: Four points look mostly sharp; close-ups hint at very minor softness or micro-whitening (typical for handled 90s inserts). Subgrade: 9

Edges: Smooth overall; no heavy chipping, but potential micro-roughness or whitening on white/red borders and foil edges. Subgrade: 9

Surface: Glossy with good shine; hologram/cracked effect clean to naked eye, but potential for light dimples/lines/scratches in foil areas under scrutiny (common complaint on Upper Deck holograms). Subgrade: 9

Overall BGS Grade: 9 Gem Mint

(Strong vintage example; edges/surface/foil likely cap it from 9.5. Pristine 10 unlikely without flawless subs—foil condition often drags these down.)

PSA (Professional Sports Authenticator)

Hypothetical GradePSA grades holistically (centering ~60/40 tolerance for 10 on vintage, near-perfect corners/edges/surface, no major defects/qualifiers).Excellent eye appeal: sharp corners visible, full gloss, no staining/print impairing appeal, strong focus.

Centering within tolerances.

Potential minor edge/corner whitening or hologram surface variance could prevent a straight 10 (PSA dings vintage foil for physical flaws).

Overall PSA Grade: 9 Mint

(Could push to Gem Mint 10 if they overlook micro-issues—many clean #453s hit 10, but foil/edges often result in 9s. No qualifiers expected like OC or PD.)

Please Note: This card is housed in a custom display slab for superior protection and presentation. While the label may include descriptive details, this is not a grade from a third-party professional service (such as PSA, BGS, or SGC). The card is being sold as Raw/Ungraded. Please review the high-resolution photos provided to make your own assessment of the card’s condition before bidding or purchasing.