![Kobe Bryant [Cyan] #SQ-5 (Basketball Cards 2008 Upper Deck Starquest) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ZZMAAeSwoLZquXvc/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Kobe Bryant [Cyan] #SQ-5 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2008 Upper Deck Starquest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant [Cyan] #SQ-5 sells for $249 against $42.00 raw: a $207 spread, 5.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($74.50) 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)
- $42.00
- PSA 10
- $249
- PSA 9
- $74.50
- Gem premium
- 5.9×
- 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 | $249 | +$182 | +$157 | +$57.00 |
| PSA 9 | $74.50 | +$7.50 | −$17.50 | −$118 |
| PSA 8 | $56.00 | −$11.00 | −$36.00 | −$136 |
Net = sale price − $42.00 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% | $118 | +$26.13 |
| 50% | $162 | +$69.75 |
| 75% | $205 | +$113 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 10%. 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 | $324 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $249 | −$75.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $149 | −$175 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $149 | −$175 | 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.
Other 2008 Upper Deck Starquest cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![LeBron James [Gold] #SQ-17 2008 Upper Deck Starquest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/nn0AAeSw8fBqWhbH/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Blue] #SQ-5 2008 Upper Deck Starquest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/wgQAAOSwOkFieo95/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Cyan] #SQ-20 2008 Upper Deck Starquest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/OzcAAeSwVD9qt7Kw/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Gold] #SQ-5 2008 Upper Deck Starquest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/MJsAAeSwf79qYNca/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Blue] #SQ-20 2008 Upper Deck Starquest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/fxcAAeSwzMJplQPd/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Kobe Bryant [Cyan] #SQ-5 — FAQ
Is Kobe Bryant [Cyan] #SQ-5 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant [Cyan] #SQ-5 sells for $249 against $42.00 raw: a $207 spread, 5.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($74.50) 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 Kobe Bryant [Cyan] #SQ-5 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant [Cyan] #SQ-5 (Basketball Cards 2008 Upper Deck Starquest) sells for about $249 versus $42.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.9× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Kobe Bryant [Cyan] #SQ-5?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $324, ahead of PSA 10 at $249. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Kobe Bryant [Cyan] #SQ-5 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 [Cyan] #SQ-5 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Kobe Bryant [Cyan] #SQ-5 breaks even when it gems about 10% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $74.50).
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