![Ray Lewis [Refractor] #164 (Football Cards 1996 Bowman's Best) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/oU0AAeSwrMVpUe8p/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Ray Lewis [Refractor] #164 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1996 Bowman's Best · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Ray Lewis [Refractor] #164 sells for $1,283 against $364 raw: a $919 spread, 3.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,166) 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)
- $364
- Grade 9.5
- $1,283
- PSA 9
- $1,166
- Gem premium
- 3.5×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $1,283 | +$894 | +$869 | +$769 |
| PSA 9 | $1,166 | +$777 | +$752 | +$652 |
| PSA 8 | $773 | +$383 | +$358 | +$258 |
Net = sale price − $364 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% | $1,196 | +$781 |
| 50% | $1,225 | +$811 |
| 75% | $1,254 | +$840 |
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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Other 1996 Bowman's Best cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
![Eddie George [Refractor] #170 1996 Bowman's Best card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/IgcAAeSwg0pouTQ7/s-l500.jpg)
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Grading Ray Lewis [Refractor] #164 — FAQ
Is Ray Lewis [Refractor] #164 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Ray Lewis [Refractor] #164 sells for $1,283 against $364 raw: a $919 spread, 3.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,166) 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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