Is Kobe Bryant #138 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #138 sells for $12,375 against $886 raw: a $11,489 spread, 14× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,885) 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)
- $886
- PSA 10
- $12,375
- PSA 9
- $2,885
- Gem premium
- 14×
- 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 | $12,375 | +$11,464 | +$11,439 | +$11,339 |
| PSA 9 | $2,885 | +$1,974 | +$1,949 | +$1,849 |
| PSA 8 | $1,729 | +$818 | +$793 | +$693 |
Net = sale price − $886 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% | $5,257 | +$4,321 |
| 50% | $7,630 | +$6,694 |
| 75% | $10,002 | +$9,066 |
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 | $13,748 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $12,375 | −$1,374 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $7,425 | −$6,323 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $3,600 | −$10,148 | 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 | $12,375 | $7,425 | $13,748 | $3,600 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $4,166 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $2,885 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $1,729 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $1,249 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Kobe Bryant #138 — FAQ
Is Kobe Bryant #138 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #138 sells for $12,375 against $886 raw: a $11,489 spread, 14× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,885) 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 #138 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #138 (Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome) sells for about $12,375 versus $886 for a raw near-mint copy — a 14× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Kobe Bryant #138?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $13,748, ahead of PSA 10 at $12,375. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Kobe Bryant #138 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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