Is LeBron James #1 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2003 Hoops Hot Prospects Cream of the Crop · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 LeBron James #1 sells for $685 against $59.24 raw: a $626 spread, 12× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($130) 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)
- $59.24
- PSA 10
- $685
- PSA 9
- $130
- Gem premium
- 12×
- 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 | $685 | +$601 | +$576 | +$476 |
| PSA 9 | $130 | +$45.75 | +$20.75 | −$79.25 |
| PSA 8 | $62.50 | −$21.74 | −$46.74 | −$147 |
Net = sale price − $59.24 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% | $269 | +$159 |
| 50% | $407 | +$298 |
| 75% | $546 | +$437 |
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 | $890 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $685 | −$205 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $411 | −$479 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $411 | −$479 | 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 | $685 | $411 | $890 | $411 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $138 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $130 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $62.50 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $60.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Grading LeBron James #1 — FAQ
Is LeBron James #1 worth grading?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #1 sells for $685 against $59.24 raw: a $626 spread, 12× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($130) 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 LeBron James #1 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #1 (Basketball Cards 2003 Hoops Hot Prospects Cream of the Crop) sells for about $685 versus $59.24 for a raw near-mint copy — a 12× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for LeBron James #1?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $890, ahead of PSA 10 at $685. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does LeBron James #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.
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