Is LeBron James #3 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2008 Bowman Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 LeBron James #3 sells for $176 against $39.68 raw: a $136 spread, 4.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($90.16) 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)
- $39.68
- PSA 10
- $176
- PSA 9
- $90.16
- Gem premium
- 4.4×
- 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 | $176 | +$111 | +$86.31 | −$13.69 |
| PSA 9 | $90.16 | +$25.48 | +$0.48 | −$99.52 |
| PSA 8 | $39.99 | −$24.69 | −$49.69 | −$150 |
Net = sale price − $39.68 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% | $112 | +$21.94 |
| 50% | $133 | +$43.39 |
| 75% | $155 | +$64.85 |
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 | $229 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $176 | −$53.01 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $106 | −$123 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $106 | −$123 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
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 #3 — FAQ
Is LeBron James #3 worth grading?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #3 sells for $176 against $39.68 raw: a $136 spread, 4.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($90.16) 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 #3 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #3 (Basketball Cards 2008 Bowman Chrome) sells for about $176 versus $39.68 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.4× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for LeBron James #3?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $229, ahead of PSA 10 at $176. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does LeBron James #3 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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