Is LeBron James [Opening Night Ticket #46 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2023 Panini Contenders · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 LeBron James [Opening Night Ticket #46 sells for $176 against $74.05 raw: a $102 spread, 2.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($160) 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)
- $74.05
- Grade 9.5
- $176
- PSA 9
- $160
- Gem premium
- 2.4×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $176 | +$76.95 | +$51.95 | −$48.05 |
| PSA 9 | $160 | +$60.94 | +$35.94 | −$64.06 |
| PSA 8 | $114 | +$14.45 | −$10.55 | −$111 |
Net = sale price − $74.05 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% | $164 | +$39.94 |
| 50% | $168 | +$43.95 |
| 75% | $172 | +$47.95 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading LeBron James [Opening Night Ticket #46 — FAQ
Is LeBron James [Opening Night Ticket #46 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 LeBron James [Opening Night Ticket #46 sells for $176 against $74.05 raw: a $102 spread, 2.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($160) 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.
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