Is LeBron James [Collection] #221 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2003 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 LeBron James [Collection] #221 sells for $2,651 against $274 raw: a $2,376 spread, 9.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($488) 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)
- $274
- PSA 10
- $2,651
- PSA 9
- $488
- Gem premium
- 9.7×
- 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 | $2,651 | +$2,351 | +$2,326 | +$2,226 |
| PSA 9 | $488 | +$188 | +$163 | +$63.24 |
| PSA 8 | $327 | +$27.65 | +$2.65 | −$97.35 |
Net = sale price − $274 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% | $1,028 | +$704 |
| 50% | $1,569 | +$1,245 |
| 75% | $2,110 | +$1,786 |
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 | $3,446 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $2,651 | −$795 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,590 | −$1,856 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $637 | −$2,809 | 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 | $2,651 | $1,590 | $3,446 | $637 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $800 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $488 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $327 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $230 |
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)
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![LeBron James [1st Edition] #221 2003 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/mAgAAeSwU7hqUm1i/s-l500.jpg)
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Grading LeBron James [Collection] #221 — FAQ
Is LeBron James [Collection] #221 worth grading?
A PSA 10 LeBron James [Collection] #221 sells for $2,651 against $274 raw: a $2,376 spread, 9.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($488) 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 [Collection] #221 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 LeBron James [Collection] #221 (Basketball Cards 2003 Topps) sells for about $2,651 versus $274 for a raw near-mint copy — a 9.7× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for LeBron James [Collection] #221?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $3,446, ahead of PSA 10 at $2,651. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does LeBron James [Collection] #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.
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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