Is LeBron James #218 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2016 Panini Studio · full price guide →
Worth grading only if it gems
A PSA 10 LeBron James #218 brings $592 versus $280 raw — a $312 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($130) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money.
- Raw (NM)
- $280
- PSA 10
- $592
- PSA 9
- $130
- Gem premium
- 2.1×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $592 | +$287 | +$262 | +$162 |
| PSA 9 | $130 | −$175 | −$200 | −$300 |
Net = sale price − $280 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 | −$84.46 |
| 50% | $361 | +$31.08 |
| 75% | $477 | +$147 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 43%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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 | $770 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $592 | −$178 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $355 | −$415 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $180 | −$590 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $592 | $180 | $770 | $355 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $250 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $130 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading LeBron James #218 — FAQ
Is LeBron James #218 worth grading?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #218 brings $592 versus $280 raw — a $312 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($130) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money.
How much is a PSA 10 LeBron James #218 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #218 (Basketball Cards 2016 Panini Studio) sells for about $592 versus $280 for a raw near-mint copy — a 2.1× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for LeBron James #218?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $770, ahead of PSA 10 at $592. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does LeBron James #218 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.
What gem rate makes grading LeBron James #218 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting LeBron James #218 breaks even when it gems about 43% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $130).
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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