![LeBron James [Gold] #19 (Basketball Cards 2009 Donruss Elite In the Zone) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Fv4AAOSwOj1lkHoa/s-l1600.jpg)
Is LeBron James [Gold] #19 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2009 Donruss Elite In the Zone · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 LeBron James [Gold] #19 sells for $165 against $15.52 raw: a $149 spread, 11× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($150) 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)
- $15.52
- Grade 9.5
- $165
- PSA 9
- $150
- Gem premium
- 11×
- 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 | $165 | +$124 | +$99.48 | −$0.52 |
| PSA 9 | $150 | +$109 | +$84.43 | −$15.57 |
Net = sale price − $15.52 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% | $154 | +$88.19 |
| 50% | $157 | +$91.95 |
| 75% | $161 | +$95.72 |
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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Other 2009 Donruss Elite In the Zone cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading LeBron James [Gold] #19 — FAQ
Is LeBron James [Gold] #19 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 LeBron James [Gold] #19 sells for $165 against $15.52 raw: a $149 spread, 11× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($150) 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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