Is Kobe Bryant #74 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #74 sells for $1,600 against $159 raw: a $1,441 spread, 10× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($313) 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)
- $159
- PSA 10
- $1,600
- PSA 9
- $313
- Gem premium
- 10×
- 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 | $1,600 | +$1,416 | +$1,391 | +$1,291 |
| PSA 9 | $313 | +$129 | +$104 | +$3.61 |
| PSA 8 | $152 | −$32.14 | −$57.14 | −$157 |
Net = sale price − $159 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% | $634 | +$426 |
| 50% | $956 | +$747 |
| 75% | $1,278 | +$1,069 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA 10 | $1,600 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| BGS 10 | $1,283 | −$317 | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| CGC 10 | $960 | −$640 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $427 | −$1,173 | 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 | $1,600 | $960 | $1,283 | $427 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $594 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $313 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $152 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $99.99 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1996 Finest cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Kobe Bryant [Refractor w Coating] #74 1996 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/P0kAAeSw0ZZqUPmz/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Refractor] #50 1996 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/keMAAeSwBOlqRmlp/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Refractor] #74 1996 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/eWoAAeSwgf5qTluW/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Refractor] #127 1996 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/-ssAAeSww81qNFCX/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Refractor w Coating] #269 1996 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/vogAAeSwTt1qQy3R/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Kobe Bryant #74 — FAQ
Is Kobe Bryant #74 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #74 sells for $1,600 against $159 raw: a $1,441 spread, 10× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($313) 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 #74 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #74 (Basketball Cards 1996 Finest) sells for about $1,600 versus $159 for a raw near-mint copy — a 10× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Kobe Bryant #74?
By resale value, PSA 10 leads at $1,600, ahead of BGS 10 at $1,283. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Kobe Bryant #74 need for a PSA 10?
PSA publishes 55/45 front and 75/25 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.
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