Is Kobe Bryant #1 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2012 Panini Prizm Autograph · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Kobe Bryant #1 sells for $30,000 against $6,988 raw: a $23,012 spread, 4.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($10,679) 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)
- $6,988
- Grade 9.5
- $30,000
- PSA 9
- $10,679
- Gem premium
- 4.3×
- As of
- Sep 23, 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 | $30,000 | +$22,987 | +$22,962 | +$22,862 |
| PSA 9 | $10,679 | +$3,666 | +$3,641 | +$3,541 |
| PSA 8 | $9,499 | +$2,486 | +$2,461 | +$2,361 |
Net = sale price − $6,988 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% | $15,509 | +$8,471 |
| 50% | $20,339 | +$13,301 |
| 75% | $25,170 | +$18,132 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading Kobe Bryant #1 — FAQ
Is Kobe Bryant #1 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Kobe Bryant #1 sells for $30,000 against $6,988 raw: a $23,012 spread, 4.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($10,679) 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.
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