![LeBron James [Black] #221 (Basketball Cards 2003 Topps) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Po0AAeSwJbRqyqGo/s-l1600.jpg)
Is LeBron James [Black] #221 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2003 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A BGS 10 LeBron James [Black] #221 sells for $14,750 against $2,591 raw: a $12,159 spread, 5.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($8,841) 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)
- $2,591
- BGS 10
- $14,750
- PSA 9
- $8,841
- Gem premium
- 5.7×
- As of
- Sep 4, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — BGS 10 | $14,750 | +$12,134 | +$12,109 | +$12,009 |
| PSA 9 | $8,841 | +$6,225 | +$6,200 | +$6,100 |
| PSA 8 | $8,038 | +$5,422 | +$5,397 | +$5,297 |
Net = sale price − $2,591 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% | $10,318 | +$7,678 |
| 50% | $11,796 | +$9,155 |
| 75% | $13,273 | +$10,632 |
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 | $14,750 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
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 →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/zhkAAeSwP-hqqJGn/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/4bUAAeSwdIZqyOos/s-l500.jpg)
![LeBron James [Gold] 2003 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/A7QAAeSwmcNqJMxM/s-l500.jpg)
Grading LeBron James [Black] #221 — FAQ
Is LeBron James [Black] #221 worth grading?
A BGS 10 LeBron James [Black] #221 sells for $14,750 against $2,591 raw: a $12,159 spread, 5.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($8,841) 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.
What centering does LeBron James [Black] #221 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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