Is Kobe Bryant #89 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2008 SP Authentic · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 14× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #89 sells for $145 against $10.03 raw: a $135 spread, 14× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($27.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $10.03
- PSA 10
- $145
- PSA 9
- $27.00
- Gem premium
- 14×
- 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 | $145 | +$110 | +$84.87 | −$15.13 |
| PSA 9 | $27.00 | −$8.03 | −$33.03 | −$133 |
| PSA 8 | $24.99 | −$10.04 | −$35.04 | −$135 |
Net = sale price − $10.03 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% | $56.48 | −$3.55 |
| 50% | $85.95 | +$25.92 |
| 75% | $115 | +$55.40 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 28%. 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 | $188 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $145 | −$43.10 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $87.00 | −$101 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $20.50 | −$168 | 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.
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Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
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Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2008 SP Authentic cards worth checking
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![Michael Jordan [Retail] #29 2008 SP Authentic card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/dL4AAeSw0olqOTow/s-l500.jpg)
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Grading Kobe Bryant #89 — FAQ
Is Kobe Bryant #89 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #89 sells for $145 against $10.03 raw: a $135 spread, 14× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($27.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #89 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #89 (Basketball Cards 2008 SP Authentic) sells for about $145 versus $10.03 for a raw near-mint copy — a 14× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Kobe Bryant #89?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $188, ahead of PSA 10 at $145. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Kobe Bryant #89 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 Kobe Bryant #89 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Kobe Bryant #89 breaks even when it gems about 28% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $27.00).
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