![Kobe Bryant [Limited] #38 (Basketball Cards 2004 SP Authentic) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/JP0AAeSwRJVqTa6a/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Kobe Bryant [Limited] #38 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2004 SP Authentic · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Kobe Bryant [Limited] #38 sell for $125, only $5.00 above the $120 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($114) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $120
- Grade 9.5
- $125
- PSA 9
- $114
- Gem premium
- 1.0×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $125 | −$20.00 | −$45.00 | −$145 |
| PSA 9 | $114 | −$31.08 | −$56.08 | −$156 |
Net = sale price − $120 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% | $117 | −$53.31 |
| 50% | $119 | −$50.54 |
| 75% | $122 | −$47.77 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $125 |
| 9 | $114 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2004 SP Authentic cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![LeBron James [Limited] #14 2004 SP Authentic card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/g7YAAeSwjYdqWAPV/s-l500.jpg)
![Dwight Howard [Autograph Limited] #186 2004 SP Authentic card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/hMkAAeSwtkNqJhLf/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Kobe Bryant [Limited] #38 — FAQ
Is Kobe Bryant [Limited] #38 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Kobe Bryant [Limited] #38 sell for $125, only $5.00 above the $120 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($114) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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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