Is Shawn Kemp #G18 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Upper Deck Generation Excitement · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Shawn Kemp #G18 sells for $60.00 against $4.49 raw: a $55.51 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($58.50) 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)
- $4.49
- PSA 10
- $60.00
- PSA 9
- $58.50
- Gem premium
- 13×
- 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 | $60.00 | +$30.51 | +$5.51 | −$94.49 |
| PSA 9 | $58.50 | +$29.01 | +$4.01 | −$95.99 |
Net = sale price − $4.49 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% | $58.88 | +$4.38 |
| 50% | $59.25 | +$4.76 |
| 75% | $59.63 | +$5.13 |
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 | $78.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $60.00 | −$18.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $36.00 | −$42.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $36.00 | −$42.00 | 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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Other 1996 Upper Deck Generation Excitement cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Shawn Kemp #G18 — FAQ
Is Shawn Kemp #G18 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Shawn Kemp #G18 sells for $60.00 against $4.49 raw: a $55.51 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($58.50) 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 Shawn Kemp #G18 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Shawn Kemp #G18 (Basketball Cards 1996 Upper Deck Generation Excitement) sells for about $60.00 versus $4.49 for a raw near-mint copy — a 13× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Shawn Kemp #G18?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $78.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $60.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Shawn Kemp #G18 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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