Is Kobe Bryant [Gold] #188 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2000 Upper Deck · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Kobe Bryant [Gold] #188 sells for $385 against $21.11 raw: a $364 spread, 18× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($350) 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)
- $21.11
- Grade 9.5
- $385
- PSA 9
- $350
- Gem premium
- 18×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $385 | +$339 | +$314 | +$214 |
| PSA 9 | $350 | +$304 | +$279 | +$179 |
| PSA 8 | $103 | +$56.41 | +$31.41 | −$68.59 |
Net = sale price − $21.11 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% | $359 | +$288 |
| 50% | $368 | +$296 |
| 75% | $376 | +$305 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $385 |
| 9 | $350 |
| 8 | $103 |
| 7 | $82.00 |
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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Full set checklist →Grading Kobe Bryant [Gold] #188 — FAQ
Is Kobe Bryant [Gold] #188 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Kobe Bryant [Gold] #188 sells for $385 against $21.11 raw: a $364 spread, 18× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($350) 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.
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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