Is Ernest Givins [Refractor] #144 worth grading?

Football · Football Cards 1994 Topps Finest · full price guide →

Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw

A Grade 9.5 Ernest Givins [Refractor] #144 sells for $36.00 against $6.43 raw: a $29.57 spread, 5.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($32.66) 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): $6.43
Grade 9.5: $36.00
PSA 9: $32.66
Gem premium: 5.6×
As of: Sep 3, 2026

Break-even by outcome and fee

Ernest Givins [Refractor] #144: net result of grading versus selling raw, by outcome and fee tier
If it comes back…	Sells for	Economy / bulk (~$25.00)	Standard (~$50.00)	Express (~$150)
Gem — Grade 9.5	$36.00	+$4.57	−$20.43	−$120
PSA 9	$32.66	+$1.23	−$23.77	−$124
PSA 8	$6.25	−$25.18	−$50.18	−$150

Net = sale price − $6.43 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?

Ernest Givins [Refractor] #144: expected value of submitting by gem probability
Chance it gems	Expected sale	Expected net (standard fee)
25%	$33.49	−$22.94
50%	$34.33	−$22.10
75%	$35.16	−$21.27

At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.

Full grade ladder

Raw conditions & history →

Ernest Givins [Refractor] #144 graded prices by company and grade
Grade	Graded
9.5	$36.00
9	$32.66
8	$6.25

Run your own numbers

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