Is LeBron James #201 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2003 Upper Deck MVP · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 LeBron James #201 sells for $998 against $129 raw: a $870 spread, 7.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($258) 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)
- $129
- PSA 10
- $998
- PSA 9
- $258
- Gem premium
- 7.8×
- 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 | $998 | +$845 | +$820 | +$720 |
| PSA 9 | $258 | +$104 | +$79.27 | −$20.73 |
| PSA 8 | $147 | −$6.98 | −$31.98 | −$132 |
Net = sale price − $129 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% | $443 | +$264 |
| 50% | $628 | +$449 |
| 75% | $813 | +$635 |
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 | $998 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| BGS 10 | $829 | −$170 | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| SGC 10 | $361 | −$637 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $82.56 | −$916 | 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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Grading LeBron James #201 — FAQ
Is LeBron James #201 worth grading?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #201 sells for $998 against $129 raw: a $870 spread, 7.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($258) 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 #201 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #201 (Basketball Cards 2003 Upper Deck MVP) sells for about $998 versus $129 for a raw near-mint copy — a 7.8× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for LeBron James #201?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $998, ahead of BGS 10 at $829. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does LeBron James #201 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.
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