Is Shawn Kemp [Rave] #40 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Skybox Z Force · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Shawn Kemp [Rave] #40 sells for $311 against $92.48 raw: a $219 spread, 3.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($283) 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)
- $92.48
- Grade 9.5
- $311
- PSA 9
- $283
- Gem premium
- 3.4×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $311 | +$194 | +$169 | +$68.52 |
| PSA 9 | $283 | +$165 | +$140 | +$40.29 |
| PSA 8 | $97.49 | −$19.99 | −$44.99 | −$145 |
Net = sale price − $92.48 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% | $290 | +$147 |
| 50% | $297 | +$154 |
| 75% | $304 | +$161 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $311 |
| 9 | $283 |
| 8 | $97.49 |
| 7 | $78.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1997 Skybox Z Force cards worth checking
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![Michael Jordan [Rave] #190 1997 Skybox Z Force card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/RqkAAeSweXxqbDAn/s-l500.jpg)
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Grading Shawn Kemp [Rave] #40 — FAQ
Is Shawn Kemp [Rave] #40 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Shawn Kemp [Rave] #40 sells for $311 against $92.48 raw: a $219 spread, 3.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($283) 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.
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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