![Devin Hester [Special Edition Black Refractor] #252 (Football Cards 2006 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/d8YAAOSw7U1lxRnL/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Devin Hester [Special Edition Black Refractor] #252 worth grading?
Football · Football Cards 2006 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Devin Hester [Special Edition Black Refractor] #252 sells for $336 against $196 raw: a $140 spread, 1.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($305) 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)
- $196
- Grade 9.5
- $336
- PSA 9
- $305
- Gem premium
- 1.7×
- 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 | $336 | +$115 | +$90.07 | −$9.93 |
| PSA 9 | $305 | +$84.07 | +$59.07 | −$40.93 |
Net = sale price − $196 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% | $313 | +$66.82 |
| 50% | $321 | +$74.57 |
| 75% | $328 | +$82.32 |
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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Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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![Devin Hester [Refractor] #252 2006 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/-N8AAeSw-ghqPFuc/s-l500.jpg)
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Grading Devin Hester [Special Edition Black Refractor] #252 — FAQ
Is Devin Hester [Special Edition Black Refractor] #252 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Devin Hester [Special Edition Black Refractor] #252 sells for $336 against $196 raw: a $140 spread, 1.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($305) 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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