Is Kobe Bryant #9 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Hoops Frequent Flyer Club Upgrade · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Kobe Bryant #9 sells for $962 against $283 raw: a $679 spread, 3.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($765) 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)
- $283
- Grade 9.5
- $962
- PSA 9
- $765
- Gem premium
- 3.4×
- 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 | $962 | +$654 | +$629 | +$529 |
| PSA 9 | $765 | +$457 | +$432 | +$332 |
| PSA 8 | $550 | +$242 | +$217 | +$117 |
Net = sale price − $283 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% | $814 | +$481 |
| 50% | $863 | +$531 |
| 75% | $913 | +$580 |
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 Kobe Bryant #9 — FAQ
Is Kobe Bryant #9 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Kobe Bryant #9 sells for $962 against $283 raw: a $679 spread, 3.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($765) 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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