Is LeBron James #23 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2004 Finest · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 5.5× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 LeBron James #23 sells for $223 against $40.29 raw: a $182 spread, 5.5× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($64.67) 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)
- $40.29
- PSA 10
- $223
- PSA 9
- $64.67
- Gem premium
- 5.5×
- 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 | $223 | +$157 | +$132 | +$32.46 |
| PSA 9 | $64.67 | −$0.62 | −$25.62 | −$126 |
| PSA 8 | $30.99 | −$34.30 | −$59.30 | −$159 |
Net = sale price − $40.29 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% | $104 | +$13.90 |
| 50% | $144 | +$53.42 |
| 75% | $183 | +$92.94 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 16%. 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 | $305 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $223 | −$81.78 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $134 | −$171 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $52.00 | −$253 | 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 | $223 | $134 | $305 | $52.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $78.73 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $64.67 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $30.99 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $10.50 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2004 Finest cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Oscar Robertson [XFractor] #134 2004 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PSIAAeSwmxRolP5L/s-l500.jpg)
![Wilt Chamberlain [XFractor] #146 2004 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/teUAAeSwknFqWZ6Y/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Red Refractor] #8 2004 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/SWwAAeSwK3lo2tCO/s-l500.jpg)
![George Gervin [XFractor] #132 2004 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/YN0AAOSwXSRoWajC/s-l500.jpg)
Grading LeBron James #23 — FAQ
Is LeBron James #23 worth grading?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #23 sells for $223 against $40.29 raw: a $182 spread, 5.5× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($64.67) 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 LeBron James #23 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #23 (Basketball Cards 2004 Finest) sells for about $223 versus $40.29 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.5× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for LeBron James #23?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $305, ahead of PSA 10 at $223. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does LeBron James #23 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 #23 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting LeBron James #23 breaks even when it gems about 16% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $64.67).
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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