Is LeBron James #21 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2014 Panini Donruss Game Threads · full price guide →
Worth grading only if it gems
A PSA 10 LeBron James #21 brings $136 versus $60.00 raw — a $75.65 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($71.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
- Raw (NM)
- $60.00
- PSA 10
- $136
- PSA 9
- $71.00
- Gem premium
- 2.3×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $136 | +$50.65 | +$25.65 | −$74.35 |
| PSA 9 | $71.00 | −$14.00 | −$39.00 | −$139 |
| PSA 8 | $54.14 | −$30.86 | −$55.86 | −$156 |
Net = sale price − $60.00 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% | $87.16 | −$22.84 |
| 50% | $103 | −$6.67 |
| 75% | $119 | +$9.49 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 60%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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 | $176 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $136 | −$40.35 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $81.00 | −$95.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $81.00 | −$95.00 | 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.
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Full set checklist →Grading LeBron James #21 — FAQ
Is LeBron James #21 worth grading?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #21 brings $136 versus $60.00 raw — a $75.65 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($71.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
How much is a PSA 10 LeBron James #21 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #21 (Basketball Cards 2014 Panini Donruss Game Threads) sells for about $136 versus $60.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 2.3× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for LeBron James #21?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $176, ahead of PSA 10 at $136. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does LeBron James #21 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.
What gem rate makes grading LeBron James #21 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting LeBron James #21 breaks even when it gems about 60% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $71.00).
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