Is LeBron James #221 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2003 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 LeBron James #221 sells for $7,600 against $833 raw: a $6,767 spread, 9.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,850) 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)
- $833
- PSA 10
- $7,600
- PSA 9
- $1,850
- Gem premium
- 9.1×
- As of
- Aug 19, 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 | $7,600 | +$6,742 | +$6,717 | +$6,617 |
| PSA 9 | $1,850 | +$992 | +$967 | +$867 |
| PSA 8 | $1,119 | +$261 | +$236 | +$136 |
Net = sale price − $833 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% | $3,288 | +$2,405 |
| 50% | $4,725 | +$3,842 |
| 75% | $6,163 | +$5,280 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | $7,600 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| BGS 10 | $7,000 | −$600 | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| SGC 10 | $3,128 | −$4,472 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,840 | −$5,760 | 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 | $7,600 | $1,840 | $7,000 | $3,128 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $2,316 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $1,850 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $1,119 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $772 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2003 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![LeBron James [Gold] #221 2003 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/mRMAAeSwIaBpZxko/s-l500.jpg)
![Dwyane Wade [Gold] #225 2003 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/04QAAeSw3WpqBwPr/s-l500.jpg)
![Dwyane Wade [1st Edition] #225 2003 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/hMUAAeSwHUxp5WAb/s-l500.jpg)
![LeBron James [1st Edition] #221 2003 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/mAgAAeSwU7hqUm1i/s-l500.jpg)
![LeBron James [Gold] 2003 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/A7QAAeSwmcNqJMxM/s-l500.jpg)
Grading LeBron James #221 — FAQ
Is LeBron James #221 worth grading?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #221 sells for $7,600 against $833 raw: a $6,767 spread, 9.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,850) 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 #221 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #221 (Basketball Cards 2003 Topps) sells for about $7,600 versus $833 for a raw near-mint copy — a 9.1× premium as of Aug 19, 2026.
Which grading company is best for LeBron James #221?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $7,600, ahead of BGS 10 at $7,000. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does LeBron James #221 need for a PSA 10?
PSA publishes 55/45 front and 75/25 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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