Is Barry Sanders [Refractor] #16 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1996 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Barry Sanders [Refractor] #16 sells for $2,149 against $793 raw: a $1,356 spread, 2.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,954) 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)
- $793
- Grade 9.5
- $2,149
- PSA 9
- $1,954
- Gem premium
- 2.7×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $2,149 | +$1,331 | +$1,306 | +$1,206 |
| PSA 9 | $1,954 | +$1,136 | +$1,111 | +$1,011 |
| PSA 8 | $596 | −$222 | −$247 | −$347 |
Net = sale price − $793 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% | $2,003 | +$1,160 |
| 50% | $2,052 | +$1,208 |
| 75% | $2,100 | +$1,257 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $2,149 |
| 9 | $1,954 |
| 8 | $596 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1996 Topps Chrome cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Barry Sanders [Refractor] #16 — FAQ
Is Barry Sanders [Refractor] #16 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Barry Sanders [Refractor] #16 sells for $2,149 against $793 raw: a $1,356 spread, 2.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,954) 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.
Is your football 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.
Check my card free