Is Alejandro Alvarado [Red Wave Refractor] #27 worth grading?
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Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Alejandro Alvarado [Red Wave Refractor] #27 sells for $169 against $32.24 raw: a $137 spread, 5.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($59.54) 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)
- $32.24
- PSA 10
- $169
- PSA 9
- $59.54
- Gem premium
- 5.2×
- As of
- Sep 2, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — PSA 10 | $169 | +$112 | +$86.83 | −$13.17 |
| PSA 9 | $59.54 | +$2.30 | −$22.70 | −$123 |
| PSA 8 | $33.78 | −$23.46 | −$48.46 | −$148 |
Net = sale price − $32.24 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% | $86.92 | +$4.68 |
| 50% | $114 | +$32.06 |
| 75% | $142 | +$59.45 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 21%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $220 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $169 | −$50.93 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $101 | −$119 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $101 | −$119 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
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Full set checklist →Grading Alejandro Alvarado [Red Wave Refractor] #27 — FAQ
Is Alejandro Alvarado [Red Wave Refractor] #27 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Alejandro Alvarado [Red Wave Refractor] #27 sells for $169 against $32.24 raw: a $137 spread, 5.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($59.54) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Alejandro Alvarado [Red Wave Refractor] #27 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Alejandro Alvarado [Red Wave Refractor] #27 (Soccer Cards 2025 Topps Chrome MLS) sells for about $169 versus $32.24 for a raw near-mint copy — a 5.2× premium as of Sep 2, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Alejandro Alvarado [Red Wave Refractor] #27?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $220, ahead of PSA 10 at $169. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Alejandro Alvarado [Red Wave Refractor] #27 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
What gem rate makes grading Alejandro Alvarado [Red Wave Refractor] #27 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Alejandro Alvarado [Red Wave Refractor] #27 breaks even when it gems about 21% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $59.54).
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