Is LeBron James #16 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2003 Upper Deck Box Set · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 LeBron James #16 sells for $159 against $10.71 raw: a $148 spread, 15× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($37.57) 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)
- $10.71
- PSA 10
- $159
- PSA 9
- $37.57
- Gem premium
- 15×
- 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 | $159 | +$123 | +$98.29 | −$1.71 |
| PSA 9 | $37.57 | +$1.86 | −$23.14 | −$123 |
| PSA 8 | $34.40 | −$1.31 | −$26.31 | −$126 |
Net = sale price − $10.71 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% | $67.93 | +$7.22 |
| 50% | $98.28 | +$37.57 |
| 75% | $129 | +$67.93 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 19%. 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 | $207 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $159 | −$48.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $87.00 | −$120 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $46.93 | −$160 | 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 | $159 | $87.00 | $207 | $46.93 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $38.98 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $37.57 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $34.40 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $7.50 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading LeBron James #16 — FAQ
Is LeBron James #16 worth grading?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #16 sells for $159 against $10.71 raw: a $148 spread, 15× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($37.57) 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 #16 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #16 (Basketball Cards 2003 Upper Deck Box Set) sells for about $159 versus $10.71 for a raw near-mint copy — a 15× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for LeBron James #16?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $207, ahead of PSA 10 at $159. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does LeBron James #16 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 LeBron James #16 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting LeBron James #16 breaks even when it gems about 19% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $37.57).
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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