Is Damian Lillard #21 worth grading?
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Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Damian Lillard #21 sell for $44.00, only $24.73 above the $19.27 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($36.25) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $19.27
- PSA 10
- $44.00
- PSA 9
- $36.25
- Gem premium
- 2.3×
- 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 | $44.00 | −$0.27 | −$25.27 | −$125 |
| PSA 9 | $36.25 | −$8.02 | −$33.02 | −$133 |
| PSA 8 | $21.36 | −$22.91 | −$47.91 | −$148 |
Net = sale price − $19.27 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% | $38.19 | −$31.08 |
| 50% | $40.13 | −$29.14 |
| 75% | $42.06 | −$27.21 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $57.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $44.00 | −$13.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $26.00 | −$31.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $26.00 | −$31.00 | 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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Grading Damian Lillard #21 — FAQ
Is Damian Lillard #21 worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Damian Lillard #21 sell for $44.00, only $24.73 above the $19.27 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($36.25) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Damian Lillard #21 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Damian Lillard #21 (Basketball Cards 2023 Panini Contenders License to Dominate) sells for about $44.00 versus $19.27 for a raw near-mint copy — a 2.3× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Damian Lillard #21?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $57.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $44.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Damian Lillard #21 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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