Midpoint - Card Centering Tool
LaMelo Ball [Blue] #153 (Basketball Cards 2020 Panini Donruss Optic) — is it worth grading?

Is LaMelo Ball [Blue] #153 worth grading?

Basketball · Basketball Cards 2020 Panini Donruss Optic · full price guide →

Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw

A Grade 9.5 LaMelo Ball [Blue] #153 sells for $182 against $106 raw: a $76.50 spread, 1.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($165) 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)
$106
Grade 9.5
$182
PSA 9
$165
Gem premium
1.7×
As of
Jul 11, 2026

Break-even by outcome and fee

LaMelo Ball [Blue] #153: net result of grading versus selling raw, by outcome and fee tier
If it comes back…Sells forEconomy / bulk (~$25.00)Standard (~$50.00)Express (~$150)
Gem — Grade 9.5$182+$51.50+$26.50−$73.50
PSA 9$165+$34.50+$9.50−$90.50

Net = sale price − $106 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?

LaMelo Ball [Blue] #153: expected value of submitting by gem probability
Chance it gemsExpected saleExpected net (standard fee)
25%$169+$13.75
50%$174+$18.00
75%$178+$22.25

Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.

LaMelo Ball [Blue] #153 graded prices by company and grade
GradeGraded
9.5$182
9$165
7$100

Run your own numbers

Should I pay this?

Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.

Other 2020 Panini Donruss Optic cards worth checking

Full set checklist

Grading LaMelo Ball [Blue] #153 — FAQ

Is LaMelo Ball [Blue] #153 worth grading?

A Grade 9.5 LaMelo Ball [Blue] #153 sells for $182 against $106 raw: a $76.50 spread, 1.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($165) 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.

Check my card free