![Dwight Howard [Autograph Limited] #186 (Basketball Cards 2004 SP Authentic) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/hMkAAeSwtkNqJhLf/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Dwight Howard [Autograph Limited] #186 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2004 SP Authentic · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 4.9× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Dwight Howard [Autograph Limited] #186 sells for $499 against $103 raw: a $397 spread, 4.9× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($103) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $103
- PSA 10
- $499
- PSA 9
- $103
- Gem premium
- 4.9×
- 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 | $499 | +$372 | +$347 | +$247 |
| PSA 9 | $103 | −$25.00 | −$50.00 | −$150 |
Net = sale price − $103 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% | $202 | +$49.13 |
| 50% | $301 | +$148 |
| 75% | $400 | +$247 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 13%. 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 | $649 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $499 | −$150 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $299 | −$350 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $299 | −$350 | 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 | $499 | $299 | $649 | $299 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $119 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $103 |
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)
Grading Dwight Howard [Autograph Limited] #186 — FAQ
Is Dwight Howard [Autograph Limited] #186 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dwight Howard [Autograph Limited] #186 sells for $499 against $103 raw: a $397 spread, 4.9× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($103) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. 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 Limited] #186 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dwight Howard [Autograph Limited] #186 (Basketball Cards 2004 SP Authentic) sells for about $499 versus $103 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.9× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dwight Howard [Autograph Limited] #186?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $649, ahead of PSA 10 at $499. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dwight Howard [Autograph Limited] #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.
What gem rate makes grading Dwight Howard [Autograph Limited] #186 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Dwight Howard [Autograph Limited] #186 breaks even when it gems about 13% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $103).
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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