![Kobe Bryant [Row 2] #18 (Basketball Cards 1997 Flair Showcase) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/v5wAAeSwfGdqUldL/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Kobe Bryant [Row 2] #18 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Flair Showcase · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant [Row 2] #18 sells for $762 against $52.00 raw: a $710 spread, 15× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($210) 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)
- $52.00
- PSA 10
- $762
- PSA 9
- $210
- Gem premium
- 15×
- 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 | $762 | +$685 | +$660 | +$560 |
| PSA 9 | $210 | +$133 | +$108 | +$7.76 |
| PSA 8 | $79.53 | +$2.53 | −$22.47 | −$122 |
Net = sale price − $52.00 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% | $348 | +$246 |
| 50% | $486 | +$384 |
| 75% | $624 | +$522 |
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 | $990 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $762 | −$228 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $457 | −$533 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $457 | −$533 | 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 | $762 | $457 | $990 | $457 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $349 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $210 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $79.53 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $32.66 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1997 Flair Showcase cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Michael Jordan [Row 3] #1 1997 Flair Showcase card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/S6cAAeSwRo9qVAWz/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Row 0] 1997 Flair Showcase card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/NzkAAeSwKFhps7Za/s-l500.jpg)
![Hakeem Olajuwon [Row 0] #28 1997 Flair Showcase card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/XQQAAeSwripqP~uK/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Row 1] 1997 Flair Showcase card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/v68AAeSweM5qQCNy/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Row 0] #1 1997 Flair Showcase card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/cHYAAeSwmbxqR9ZQ/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Kobe Bryant [Row 2] #18 — FAQ
Is Kobe Bryant [Row 2] #18 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant [Row 2] #18 sells for $762 against $52.00 raw: a $710 spread, 15× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($210) 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 [Row 2] #18 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant [Row 2] #18 (Basketball Cards 1997 Flair Showcase) sells for about $762 versus $52.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 15× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Kobe Bryant [Row 2] #18?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $990, ahead of PSA 10 at $762. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Kobe Bryant [Row 2] #18 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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