Is LeBron James #6 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2003 Upper Deck Phenomenal Beginning · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 18× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 LeBron James #6 sells for $176 against $9.91 raw: a $166 spread, 18× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.86) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $9.91
- PSA 10
- $176
- PSA 9
- $25.86
- Gem premium
- 18×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $176 | +$141 | +$116 | +$16.49 |
| PSA 9 | $25.86 | −$9.05 | −$34.05 | −$134 |
| PSA 8 | $23.23 | −$11.68 | −$36.68 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $9.91 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% | $63.50 | +$3.59 |
| 50% | $101 | +$41.22 |
| 75% | $139 | +$78.86 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 23%. 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 | $229 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $176 | −$52.60 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $106 | −$123 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $40.69 | −$188 | 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.
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Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
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Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2003 Upper Deck Phenomenal Beginning cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![LeBron James [Gold] #13 2003 Upper Deck Phenomenal Beginning card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/IbAAAeSwKkJqrKy~/s-l500.jpg)
![LeBron James [Gold 100] #14 2003 Upper Deck Phenomenal Beginning card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/UaEAAOSwtcdkzsS1/s-l500.jpg)
![LeBron James [Gold Facsimile Autograph] #8 2003 Upper Deck Phenomenal Beginning card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/2SsAAeSwajlp0F6i/s-l500.jpg)
Grading LeBron James #6 — FAQ
Is LeBron James #6 worth grading?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #6 sells for $176 against $9.91 raw: a $166 spread, 18× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($25.86) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 LeBron James #6 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #6 (Basketball Cards 2003 Upper Deck Phenomenal Beginning) sells for about $176 versus $9.91 for a raw near-mint copy — a 18× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for LeBron James #6?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $229, ahead of PSA 10 at $176. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does LeBron James #6 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 #6 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting LeBron James #6 breaks even when it gems about 23% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $25.86).
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