Is Kobe Bryant #38 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2001 Spx · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #38 sells for $124 against $16.78 raw: a $107 spread, 7.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($69.00) 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)
- $16.78
- PSA 10
- $124
- PSA 9
- $69.00
- Gem premium
- 7.4×
- As of
- Sep 22, 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 | $124 | +$82.00 | +$57.00 | −$43.00 |
| PSA 9 | $69.00 | +$27.22 | +$2.22 | −$97.78 |
| PSA 8 | $33.78 | −$8.00 | −$33.00 | −$133 |
Net = sale price − $16.78 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% | $82.69 | +$15.91 |
| 50% | $96.39 | +$29.61 |
| 75% | $110 | +$43.31 |
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 | $161 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $124 | −$37.22 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $74.00 | −$87.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $74.00 | −$87.00 | 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 Kobe Bryant #38 — FAQ
Is Kobe Bryant #38 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #38 sells for $124 against $16.78 raw: a $107 spread, 7.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($69.00) 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 Kobe Bryant #38 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #38 (Basketball Cards 2001 Spx) sells for about $124 versus $16.78 for a raw near-mint copy — a 7.4× premium as of Sep 22, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Kobe Bryant #38?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $161, ahead of PSA 10 at $124. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Kobe Bryant #38 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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