![Kobe Bryant [Gold] #3 (Basketball Cards 1997 Ultra Stars) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/R40AAeSwzKpovkqk/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Kobe Bryant [Gold] #3 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Ultra Stars · full price guide →
Worth grading only if it gems
A Grade 9.5 Kobe Bryant [Gold] #3 brings $18,100 versus $18,000 raw — a $100 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($9,423) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money.
- Raw (NM)
- $18,000
- Grade 9.5
- $18,100
- PSA 9
- $9,423
- Gem premium
- 1.0×
- 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 | $18,100 | +$75.00 | +$50.00 | −$50.00 |
| PSA 9 | $9,423 | −$8,602 | −$8,627 | −$8,727 |
Net = sale price − $18,000 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% | $11,592 | −$6,458 |
| 50% | $13,761 | −$4,289 |
| 75% | $15,931 | −$2,119 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 99%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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Other 1997 Ultra Stars cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
![Stephon Marbury [Gold] #5 1997 Ultra Stars card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/HsIAAOSwwutkRdp0/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Gold] #1 1997 Ultra Stars card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/pd4AAeSwFh9qmHgs/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Kobe Bryant [Gold] #3 — FAQ
Is Kobe Bryant [Gold] #3 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Kobe Bryant [Gold] #3 brings $18,100 versus $18,000 raw — a $100 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($9,423) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money.
What gem rate makes grading Kobe Bryant [Gold] #3 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Kobe Bryant [Gold] #3 breaks even when it gems about 99% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $9,423).
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