Is Kobe Bryant worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 4.7× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant sells for $830 against $177 raw: a $653 spread, 4.7× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($198) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $177
- PSA 10
- $830
- PSA 9
- $198
- Gem premium
- 4.7×
- 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 | $830 | +$628 | +$603 | +$503 |
| PSA 9 | $198 | −$3.28 | −$28.28 | −$128 |
| PSA 8 | $179 | −$22.50 | −$47.50 | −$148 |
Net = sale price − $177 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% | $356 | +$130 |
| 50% | $514 | +$288 |
| 75% | $672 | +$446 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 4%. 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 | $1,079 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $830 | −$249 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $498 | −$581 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $296 | −$783 | 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.
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Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![John Stockton [Refractor] #R11 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/I-gAAeSwur5qD2Fy/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Refractor] #R18 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PksAAeSw3ehqR-2V/s-l500.jpg)
![Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #R9 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Av4AAeSwgqhqm5Ux/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [w/Coating] #R1 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/gd8AAeSwZZBqDTOg/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Refractor, w/Coating] #R18 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/bK0AAeSwGFpqlPXC/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Kobe Bryant — FAQ
Is Kobe Bryant worth grading?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant sells for $830 against $177 raw: a $653 spread, 4.7× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($198) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Kobe Bryant worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Kobe Bryant (Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty) sells for about $830 versus $177 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.7× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Kobe Bryant?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,079, ahead of PSA 10 at $830. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Kobe Bryant 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 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Kobe Bryant breaks even when it gems about 4% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $198).
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