
Is LeBron James #NA-8 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2009 Upper Deck Now Appearing · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 LeBron James #NA-8 sells for $128 against $10.33 raw: a $118 spread, 12× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($58.72) 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)
- $10.33
- PSA 10
- $128
- PSA 9
- $58.72
- Gem premium
- 12×
- 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 | $128 | +$92.62 | +$67.62 | −$32.38 |
| PSA 9 | $58.72 | +$23.39 | −$1.61 | −$102 |
Net = sale price − $10.33 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% | $76.03 | +$15.70 |
| 50% | $93.34 | +$33.01 |
| 75% | $111 | +$50.31 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 2%. 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 | $166 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $128 | −$38.05 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $77.00 | −$89.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $77.00 | −$89.00 | 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 | $128 | $77.00 | $166 | $77.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $65.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $58.72 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Full set checklist →Grading LeBron James #NA-8 — FAQ
Is LeBron James #NA-8 worth grading?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #NA-8 sells for $128 against $10.33 raw: a $118 spread, 12× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($58.72) 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 LeBron James #NA-8 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 LeBron James #NA-8 (Basketball Cards 2009 Upper Deck Now Appearing) sells for about $128 versus $10.33 for a raw near-mint copy — a 12× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for LeBron James #NA-8?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $166, ahead of PSA 10 at $128. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does LeBron James #NA-8 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 LeBron James #NA-8 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting LeBron James #NA-8 breaks even when it gems about 2% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $58.72).
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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