Is Kobe Bryant #189 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2000 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #189 sells for $228 against $5.13 raw: a $223 spread, 44× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($37.00) 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)
- $5.13
- PSA 10
- $228
- PSA 9
- $37.00
- Gem premium
- 44×
- 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 | $228 | +$198 | +$173 | +$72.65 |
| PSA 9 | $37.00 | +$6.87 | −$18.13 | −$118 |
| PSA 8 | $33.44 | +$3.31 | −$21.69 | −$122 |
Net = sale price − $5.13 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% | $84.69 | +$29.56 |
| 50% | $132 | +$77.26 |
| 75% | $180 | +$125 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 10%. 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 | $296 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $228 | −$68.22 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $137 | −$159 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $137 | −$159 | 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 #189 — FAQ
Is Kobe Bryant #189 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #189 sells for $228 against $5.13 raw: a $223 spread, 44× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($37.00) 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 #189 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #189 (Basketball Cards 2000 Topps) sells for about $228 versus $5.13 for a raw near-mint copy — a 44× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Kobe Bryant #189?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $296, ahead of PSA 10 at $228. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Kobe Bryant #189 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 #189 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Kobe Bryant #189 breaks even when it gems about 10% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $37.00).
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