Is Kobe Bryant #1 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Hoops High Voltage · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #1 sells for $10,484 against $519 raw: a $9,965 spread, 20× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,352) 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)
- $519
- PSA 10
- $10,484
- PSA 9
- $1,352
- Gem premium
- 20×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $10,484 | +$9,940 | +$9,915 | +$9,815 |
| PSA 9 | $1,352 | +$808 | +$783 | +$683 |
| PSA 8 | $835 | +$291 | +$266 | +$166 |
Net = sale price − $519 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% | $3,635 | +$3,066 |
| 50% | $5,918 | +$5,349 |
| 75% | $8,201 | +$7,632 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $13,629 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $10,484 | −$3,145 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $6,290 | −$7,339 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $6,290 | −$7,339 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $10,484 | $6,290 | $13,629 | $6,290 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $2,888 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $1,352 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $835 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $821 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1997 Hoops High Voltage cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Kobe Bryant #1 — FAQ
Is Kobe Bryant #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #1 sells for $10,484 against $519 raw: a $9,965 spread, 20× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,352) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #1 (Basketball Cards 1997 Hoops High Voltage) sells for about $10,484 versus $519 for a raw near-mint copy — a 20× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Kobe Bryant #1?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $13,629, ahead of PSA 10 at $10,484. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Kobe Bryant #1 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.
Is your basketball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
Check my card free