Is Kobe Bryant [Rave] #88 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Skybox Z Force · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Kobe Bryant [Rave] #88 sells for $2,127 against $21.50 raw: a $2,106 spread, 99× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,959) 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)
- $21.50
- Grade 9.5
- $2,127
- PSA 9
- $1,959
- Gem premium
- 99×
- As of
- Aug 18, 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 | $2,127 | +$2,081 | +$2,056 | +$1,956 |
| PSA 9 | $1,959 | +$1,913 | +$1,888 | +$1,788 |
| PSA 8 | $1,781 | +$1,735 | +$1,710 | +$1,610 |
Net = sale price − $21.50 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% | $2,001 | +$1,930 |
| 50% | $2,043 | +$1,972 |
| 75% | $2,085 | +$2,014 |
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 | $2,127 |
| 9 | $1,959 |
| 8 | $1,781 |
| 7 | $497 |
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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Grading Kobe Bryant [Rave] #88 — FAQ
Is Kobe Bryant [Rave] #88 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Kobe Bryant [Rave] #88 sells for $2,127 against $21.50 raw: a $2,106 spread, 99× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,959) 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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