Is Albert Belle [Refractor] #M17 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Mystery Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Albert Belle [Refractor] #M17 sells for $153 against $4.99 raw: a $148 spread, 31× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($31.00) 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)
- $4.99
- PSA 10
- $153
- PSA 9
- $31.00
- Gem premium
- 31×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $153 | +$123 | +$97.76 | −$2.24 |
| PSA 9 | $31.00 | +$1.01 | −$23.99 | −$124 |
| PSA 8 | $15.08 | −$14.91 | −$39.91 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $4.99 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% | $61.44 | +$6.45 |
| 50% | $91.88 | +$36.89 |
| 75% | $122 | +$67.32 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 20%. 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 | $199 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $153 | −$46.25 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $92.00 | −$107 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $92.00 | −$107 | 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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Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1996 Topps Mystery Finest cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Chipper Jones [Refractor] #M4 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/me4AAeSw3ZZqH5vb/s-l500.jpg)
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![Cal Ripken [Refractor] #M7 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/WZAAAeSwfohqq0GI/s-l500.jpg)
![Frank Thomas [Refractor] #M26 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/twUAAeSwUupquiRl/s-l500.jpg)
![Ken Griffey Jr. [Refractor] #M25 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/g58AAeSwtMVqrrnQ/s-l500.jpg)
![Kirby Puckett [Refractor] #M8 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/RmcAAeSwimdovzdr/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Albert Belle [Refractor] #M17 — FAQ
Is Albert Belle [Refractor] #M17 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Albert Belle [Refractor] #M17 sells for $153 against $4.99 raw: a $148 spread, 31× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($31.00) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Albert Belle [Refractor] #M17 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Albert Belle [Refractor] #M17 (Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Mystery Finest) sells for about $153 versus $4.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 31× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Albert Belle [Refractor] #M17?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $199, ahead of PSA 10 at $153. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Albert Belle [Refractor] #M17 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 Albert Belle [Refractor] #M17 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Albert Belle [Refractor] #M17 breaks even when it gems about 20% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $31.00).
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