Is Kobe Bryant 1998 SP Rookie Design #30 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2007 SP Rookie Edition · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Kobe Bryant 1998 SP Rookie Design #30 sell for $103, only $18.10 above the $85.18 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($99.99) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $85.18
- PSA 10
- $103
- PSA 9
- $99.99
- Gem premium
- 1.2×
- 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 | $103 | −$6.90 | −$31.90 | −$132 |
| PSA 9 | $99.99 | −$10.19 | −$35.19 | −$135 |
Net = sale price − $85.18 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% | $101 | −$34.37 |
| 50% | $102 | −$33.55 |
| 75% | $102 | −$32.72 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $134 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $103 | −$30.72 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $62.00 | −$72.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $62.00 | −$72.00 | 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 | $103 | $62.00 | $134 | $62.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $101 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $99.99 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2007 SP Rookie Edition cards worth checking
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Grading Kobe Bryant 1998 SP Rookie Design #30 — FAQ
Is Kobe Bryant 1998 SP Rookie Design #30 worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Kobe Bryant 1998 SP Rookie Design #30 sell for $103, only $18.10 above the $85.18 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($99.99) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Kobe Bryant 1998 SP Rookie Design #30 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant 1998 SP Rookie Design #30 (Basketball Cards 2007 SP Rookie Edition) sells for about $103 versus $85.18 for a raw near-mint copy — a 1.2× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Kobe Bryant 1998 SP Rookie Design #30?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $134, ahead of PSA 10 at $103. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Kobe Bryant 1998 SP Rookie Design #30 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.
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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