![Kobe Bryant [Row 3] #18 (Basketball Cards 1998 Flair Showcase) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/xkUAAeSwNYtqSRlz/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Kobe Bryant [Row 3] #18 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Flair Showcase · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant [Row 3] #18 sells for $588 against $27.00 raw: a $561 spread, 22× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($84.00) 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)
- $27.00
- PSA 10
- $588
- PSA 9
- $84.00
- Gem premium
- 22×
- 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 | $588 | +$536 | +$511 | +$411 |
| PSA 9 | $84.00 | +$32.00 | +$7.00 | −$93.00 |
| PSA 8 | $76.06 | +$24.06 | −$0.94 | −$101 |
Net = sale price − $27.00 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% | $210 | +$133 |
| 50% | $336 | +$259 |
| 75% | $462 | +$385 |
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 | $765 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $588 | −$177 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $353 | −$412 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $353 | −$412 | 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 | $588 | $353 | $765 | $353 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $174 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $84.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $76.06 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $45.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1998 Flair Showcase cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Paul Pierce [Row 2] #29 1998 Flair Showcase card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/wxMAAeSwvA9qWUrF/s-l500.jpg)
![Vince Carter [Row 3] #25 1998 Flair Showcase card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/rmYAAeSwjddpf9wK/s-l500.jpg)
![Steve Nash [Row 1] #84 1998 Flair Showcase card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/b9AAAeSwCrhpO6i-/s-l500.jpg)
![Dirk Nowitzki [Row 3] #16 1998 Flair Showcase card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/1MEAAeSwgvZqUeNw/s-l500.jpg)
![Paul Pierce [Row 1] #29 1998 Flair Showcase card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PQoAAeSwq9Jp0~Es/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Row 1] #2 1998 Flair Showcase card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/vWgAAeSwP3hqIXZi/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Kobe Bryant [Row 3] #18 — FAQ
Is Kobe Bryant [Row 3] #18 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant [Row 3] #18 sells for $588 against $27.00 raw: a $561 spread, 22× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($84.00) 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 [Row 3] #18 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant [Row 3] #18 (Basketball Cards 1998 Flair Showcase) sells for about $588 versus $27.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 22× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Kobe Bryant [Row 3] #18?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $765, ahead of PSA 10 at $588. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Kobe Bryant [Row 3] #18 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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