Is Mario Bates [Refractor] #332 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1996 Topps Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Mario Bates [Refractor] #332 sells for $32.00 against $0.25 raw: a $31.75 spread, 128× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.10) 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)
- $0.25
- Grade 9.5
- $32.00
- PSA 9
- $29.10
- Gem premium
- 128×
- 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 | $32.00 | +$6.75 | −$18.25 | −$118 |
| PSA 9 | $29.10 | +$3.85 | −$21.15 | −$121 |
Net = sale price − $0.25 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% | $29.83 | −$20.42 |
| 50% | $30.55 | −$19.70 |
| 75% | $31.27 | −$18.98 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Mario Bates [Refractor] #332 — FAQ
Is Mario Bates [Refractor] #332 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Mario Bates [Refractor] #332 sells for $32.00 against $0.25 raw: a $31.75 spread, 128× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.10) 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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