Is Kobe Bryant #81 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Metal Universe · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #81 sells for $1,519 against $240 raw: a $1,279 spread, 6.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,088) 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)
- $240
- PSA 10
- $1,519
- PSA 9
- $1,088
- Gem premium
- 6.3×
- 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 | $1,519 | +$1,254 | +$1,229 | +$1,129 |
| PSA 9 | $1,088 | +$822 | +$797 | +$697 |
| PSA 8 | $430 | +$165 | +$140 | +$39.82 |
Net = sale price − $240 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% | $1,195 | +$905 |
| 50% | $1,303 | +$1,013 |
| 75% | $1,411 | +$1,121 |
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 | $1,975 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,519 | −$456 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $912 | −$1,063 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $585 | −$1,390 | 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 | $1,519 | $912 | $1,975 | $585 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $1,382 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $1,088 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $430 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $259 |
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 #81 — FAQ
Is Kobe Bryant #81 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #81 sells for $1,519 against $240 raw: a $1,279 spread, 6.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,088) 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 #81 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #81 (Basketball Cards 1997 Metal Universe) sells for about $1,519 versus $240 for a raw near-mint copy — a 6.3× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Kobe Bryant #81?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,975, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,519. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Kobe Bryant #81 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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