Is Walter Jones [Refractor] #282 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 1997 Topps Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Walter Jones [Refractor] #282 sells for $88.00 against $11.96 raw: a $76.04 spread, 7.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($80.00) 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)
- $11.96
- Grade 9.5
- $88.00
- PSA 9
- $80.00
- Gem premium
- 7.4×
- 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 | $88.00 | +$51.04 | +$26.04 | −$73.96 |
| PSA 9 | $80.00 | +$43.04 | +$18.04 | −$81.96 |
| PSA 8 | $36.25 | −$0.71 | −$25.71 | −$126 |
Net = sale price − $11.96 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% | $82.00 | +$20.04 |
| 50% | $84.00 | +$22.04 |
| 75% | $86.00 | +$24.04 |
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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Grading Walter Jones [Refractor] #282 — FAQ
Is Walter Jones [Refractor] #282 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Walter Jones [Refractor] #282 sells for $88.00 against $11.96 raw: a $76.04 spread, 7.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($80.00) 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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