![Emmitt Smith [Refractor] #265 (Football Cards 1996 Topps Finest) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/SFwAAeSwT-tplJaW/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Emmitt Smith [Refractor] #265 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1996 Topps Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Emmitt Smith [Refractor] #265 sells for $218 against $35.50 raw: a $182 spread, 6.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($119) 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)
- $35.50
- Grade 9.5
- $218
- PSA 9
- $119
- Gem premium
- 6.1×
- 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 | $218 | +$157 | +$132 | +$32.00 |
| PSA 9 | $119 | +$58.87 | +$33.87 | −$66.13 |
| PSA 8 | $72.94 | +$12.44 | −$12.56 | −$113 |
Net = sale price − $35.50 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% | $144 | +$58.40 |
| 50% | $168 | +$82.94 |
| 75% | $193 | +$107 |
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 | $218 |
| 9 | $119 |
| 8 | $72.94 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1996 Topps Finest cards worth checking
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![Brian Dawkins [Refractor] #344 1996 Topps Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/OgUAAeSwzEZqL~zM/s-l500.jpg)
![Mike Alstott [Refractor] #335 1996 Topps Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/o6sAAeSw8s9pclhu/s-l500.jpg)
![Derrick Thomas [Refractor] #242 1996 Topps Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/xI0AAeSwfVVpjhLC/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Emmitt Smith [Refractor] #265 — FAQ
Is Emmitt Smith [Refractor] #265 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Emmitt Smith [Refractor] #265 sells for $218 against $35.50 raw: a $182 spread, 6.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($119) 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.
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