Is Kobe Bryant #88 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Skybox Z Force · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #88 sells for $910 against $18.99 raw: a $891 spread, 48× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($63.23) 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)
- $18.99
- PSA 10
- $910
- PSA 9
- $63.23
- Gem premium
- 48×
- 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 | $910 | +$866 | +$841 | +$741 |
| PSA 9 | $63.23 | +$19.24 | −$5.76 | −$106 |
| PSA 8 | $40.79 | −$3.20 | −$28.20 | −$128 |
Net = sale price − $18.99 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% | $275 | +$206 |
| 50% | $486 | +$417 |
| 75% | $698 | +$629 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. 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 | $1,182 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $910 | −$273 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $546 | −$636 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $546 | −$636 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
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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
Full set checklist →![Michael Jordan [Rave] #23 1997 Skybox Z Force card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/jWkAAeSwFs9qnPNl/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Rave] #195 1997 Skybox Z Force card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Zo4AAeSwieZqg6s7/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Rave] #190 1997 Skybox Z Force card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/RqkAAeSweXxqbDAn/s-l500.jpg)
![Hakeem Olajuwon [Super Rave] #134 1997 Skybox Z Force card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/L80AAeSwrptqU7i4/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Rave] #88 1997 Skybox Z Force card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/LXcAAeSw2o5qg6mv/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Kobe Bryant #88 — FAQ
Is Kobe Bryant #88 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #88 sells for $910 against $18.99 raw: a $891 spread, 48× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($63.23) 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 #88 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant #88 (Basketball Cards 1997 Skybox Z Force) sells for about $910 versus $18.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 48× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Kobe Bryant #88?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,182, ahead of PSA 10 at $910. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Kobe Bryant #88 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 Kobe Bryant #88 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Kobe Bryant #88 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $63.23).
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