Is LeBron James [Purple] #18 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2017 Panini Status Symbols · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 LeBron James [Purple] #18 sells for $40.00 against $6.13 raw: a $33.87 spread, 6.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($36.16) 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)
- $6.13
- Grade 9.5
- $40.00
- PSA 9
- $36.16
- Gem premium
- 6.5×
- 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 | $40.00 | +$8.87 | −$16.13 | −$116 |
| PSA 9 | $36.16 | +$5.03 | −$19.97 | −$120 |
| PSA 8 | $27.99 | −$3.14 | −$28.14 | −$128 |
Net = sale price − $6.13 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% | $37.12 | −$19.01 |
| 50% | $38.08 | −$18.05 |
| 75% | $39.04 | −$17.09 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading LeBron James [Purple] #18 — FAQ
Is LeBron James [Purple] #18 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 LeBron James [Purple] #18 sells for $40.00 against $6.13 raw: a $33.87 spread, 6.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($36.16) 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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