Is Hardy Nickerson [Refractor] #149 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1997 Topps Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Hardy Nickerson [Refractor] #149 sells for $43.00 against $5.92 raw: a $37.08 spread, 7.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.50) 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)
- $5.92
- Grade 9.5
- $43.00
- PSA 9
- $39.50
- Gem premium
- 7.3×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $43.00 | +$12.08 | −$12.92 | −$113 |
| PSA 9 | $39.50 | +$8.58 | −$16.42 | −$116 |
Net = sale price − $5.92 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% | $40.38 | −$15.55 |
| 50% | $41.25 | −$14.67 |
| 75% | $42.13 | −$13.80 |
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 Hardy Nickerson [Refractor] #149 — FAQ
Is Hardy Nickerson [Refractor] #149 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Hardy Nickerson [Refractor] #149 sells for $43.00 against $5.92 raw: a $37.08 spread, 7.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.50) 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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