Is Kobe Bryant #188 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2000 Upper Deck · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #188 sells for $215 against $5.94 raw: a $209 spread, 36× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($49.99) 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)
- $5.94
- PSA 10
- $215
- PSA 9
- $49.99
- Gem premium
- 36×
- 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 | $215 | +$184 | +$159 | +$59.06 |
| PSA 9 | $49.99 | +$19.05 | −$5.95 | −$106 |
| PSA 8 | $31.01 | +$0.07 | −$24.93 | −$125 |
Net = sale price − $5.94 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% | $91.24 | +$35.30 |
| 50% | $132 | +$76.56 |
| 75% | $174 | +$118 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 4%. 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 | $280 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $215 | −$65.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $129 | −$151 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $45.00 | −$235 | 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 #188 — FAQ
Is Kobe Bryant #188 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #188 sells for $215 against $5.94 raw: a $209 spread, 36× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($49.99) 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 #188 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #188 (Basketball Cards 2000 Upper Deck) sells for about $215 versus $5.94 for a raw near-mint copy — a 36× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Kobe Bryant #188?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $280, ahead of PSA 10 at $215. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Kobe Bryant #188 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 Kobe Bryant #188 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Kobe Bryant #188 breaks even when it gems about 4% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $49.99).
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