Is Kobe Bryant [Balcony] #17 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2004 Fleer Authentix · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Kobe Bryant [Balcony] #17 sells for $103 against $16.49 raw: a $86.51 spread, 6.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($93.86) 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)
- $16.49
- Grade 9.5
- $103
- PSA 9
- $93.86
- Gem premium
- 6.2×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $103 | +$61.51 | +$36.51 | −$63.49 |
| PSA 9 | $93.86 | +$52.37 | +$27.37 | −$72.63 |
Net = sale price − $16.49 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% | $96.14 | +$29.66 |
| 50% | $98.43 | +$31.94 |
| 75% | $101 | +$34.23 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Raw conditions & history →Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2004 Fleer Authentix cards worth checking
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![Kobe Bryant [General Admission] #17 2004 Fleer Authentix card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/9wwAAeSwwTlqktlg/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Mezzanine] #17 2004 Fleer Authentix card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/zTIAAOSwy2BeGOdh/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Kobe Bryant [Balcony] #17 — FAQ
Is Kobe Bryant [Balcony] #17 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Kobe Bryant [Balcony] #17 sells for $103 against $16.49 raw: a $86.51 spread, 6.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($93.86) 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.
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