![Dwight Howard [Autograph] #186 (Basketball Cards 2004 SP Authentic) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/qSsAAeSwlXFpuXFI/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Dwight Howard [Autograph] #186 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2004 SP Authentic · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dwight Howard [Autograph] #186 sells for $191 against $71.50 raw: a $119 spread, 2.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($130) 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)
- $71.50
- PSA 10
- $191
- PSA 9
- $130
- Gem premium
- 2.7×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $191 | +$94.00 | +$69.00 | −$31.00 |
| PSA 9 | $130 | +$33.50 | +$8.50 | −$91.50 |
| PSA 8 | $65.49 | −$31.01 | −$56.01 | −$156 |
Net = sale price − $71.50 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% | $145 | +$23.63 |
| 50% | $160 | +$38.75 |
| 75% | $175 | +$53.88 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $500 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $191 | −$309 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $114 | −$386 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $114 | −$386 | 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 →
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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)
![Andre Iguodala [Autograph Limited] #179 2004 SP Authentic card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/QYsAAeSwP-hqruAE/s-l500.jpg)
![Dwight Howard [Autograph Limited] #186 2004 SP Authentic card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/hMkAAeSwtkNqJhLf/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Limited] #38 2004 SP Authentic card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/JP0AAeSwRJVqTa6a/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Dwight Howard [Autograph] #186 — FAQ
Is Dwight Howard [Autograph] #186 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dwight Howard [Autograph] #186 sells for $191 against $71.50 raw: a $119 spread, 2.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($130) 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 Dwight Howard [Autograph] #186 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dwight Howard [Autograph] #186 (Basketball Cards 2004 SP Authentic) sells for about $191 versus $71.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 2.7× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dwight Howard [Autograph] #186?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $500, ahead of PSA 10 at $191. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dwight Howard [Autograph] #186 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.
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