![LeBron James [1st Edition] #23 (Basketball Cards 2004 Topps) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/l4EAAOSwVwFiftlo/s-l1600.jpg)
Is LeBron James [1st Edition] #23 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2004 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 LeBron James [1st Edition] #23 sells for $512 against $66.00 raw: a $446 spread, 7.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($197) 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)
- $66.00
- PSA 10
- $512
- PSA 9
- $197
- Gem premium
- 7.8×
- 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 | $512 | +$421 | +$396 | +$296 |
| PSA 9 | $197 | +$106 | +$81.30 | −$18.70 |
| PSA 8 | $102 | +$11.17 | −$13.83 | −$114 |
Net = sale price − $66.00 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% | $276 | +$160 |
| 50% | $355 | +$239 |
| 75% | $433 | +$317 |
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 | $666 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $512 | −$154 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $307 | −$359 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $307 | −$359 | 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 | $512 | $307 | $666 | $307 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $217 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $197 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $102 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $66.51 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2004 Topps cards worth checking
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![Andre Iguodala [Gold] #229 2004 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/~oQAAOSwuiJoNXWJ/s-l500.jpg)
![Carmelo Anthony [Gold] #15 2004 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ksgAAeSw0iNqS~7-/s-l500.jpg)
![LeBron James [Gold] #23 2004 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/oGsAAeSwPZZqNez6/s-l500.jpg)
Grading LeBron James [1st Edition] #23 — FAQ
Is LeBron James [1st Edition] #23 worth grading?
A PSA 10 LeBron James [1st Edition] #23 sells for $512 against $66.00 raw: a $446 spread, 7.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($197) 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 LeBron James [1st Edition] #23 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 LeBron James [1st Edition] #23 (Basketball Cards 2004 Topps) sells for about $512 versus $66.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 7.8× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for LeBron James [1st Edition] #23?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $666, ahead of PSA 10 at $512. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does LeBron James [1st Edition] #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.
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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