Is LeBron James #1 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2012 Panini Prizm · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 LeBron James #1 sells for $925 against $115 raw: a $810 spread, 8.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($160) 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)
- $115
- PSA 10
- $925
- PSA 9
- $160
- Gem premium
- 8.1×
- 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 | $925 | +$785 | +$760 | +$660 |
| PSA 9 | $160 | +$20.36 | −$4.64 | −$105 |
| PSA 8 | $109 | −$30.77 | −$55.77 | −$156 |
Net = sale price − $115 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% | $351 | +$186 |
| 50% | $542 | +$378 |
| 75% | $733 | +$569 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. 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 | $1,202 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $925 | −$278 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $555 | −$647 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $190 | −$1,013 | 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 | $925 | $555 | $1,202 | $190 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $400 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $160 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $109 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $37.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2012 Panini Prizm cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Kawhi Leonard [Prizm] #209 2012 Panini Prizm card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/nGgAAeSw0DRqMNqA/s-l500.jpg)
![LeBron James [Prizm] #1 2012 Panini Prizm card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/qJgAAeSwtcBqV9VQ/s-l500.jpg)
![Kyrie Irving [Prizm] #201 2012 Panini Prizm card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/9VAAAOSw9OdmWl3V/s-l500.jpg)
![Damian Lillard [Prizm] #245 2012 Panini Prizm card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PLEAAeSwBxJp2UFn/s-l500.jpg)
Grading LeBron James #1 — FAQ
Is LeBron James #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #1 sells for $925 against $115 raw: a $810 spread, 8.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($160) 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 LeBron James #1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #1 (Basketball Cards 2012 Panini Prizm) sells for about $925 versus $115 for a raw near-mint copy — a 8.1× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for LeBron James #1?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,202, ahead of PSA 10 at $925. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does LeBron James #1 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 #1 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting LeBron James #1 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $160).
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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