Is Calvin Johnson [Gold Refractor] #50 worth grading?

Football · Football Cards 2009 Topps Finest · full price guide →

Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw

A PSA 10 Calvin Johnson [Gold Refractor] #50 sells for $87.50 against $26.39 raw: a $61.11 spread, 3.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($52.25) 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): $26.39
PSA 10: $87.50
PSA 9: $52.25
Gem premium: 3.3×
As of: Sep 4, 2026

Break-even by outcome and fee

Calvin Johnson [Gold Refractor] #50: net result of grading versus selling raw, by outcome and fee tier
If it comes back…	Sells for	Economy / bulk (~$25.00)	Standard (~$50.00)	Express (~$150)
Gem — PSA 10	$87.50	+$36.11	+$11.11	−$88.89
PSA 9	$52.25	+$0.86	−$24.14	−$124
PSA 8	$22.45	−$28.94	−$53.94	−$154

Net = sale price − $26.39 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?

Calvin Johnson [Gold Refractor] #50: expected value of submitting by gem probability
Chance it gems	Expected sale	Expected net (standard fee)
25%	$61.06	−$15.33
50%	$69.88	−$6.52
75%	$78.69	+$2.30

Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 68%. 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 →

Calvin Johnson [Gold Refractor] #50: top-grade value by grading company with centering tolerance
Grader	10 sells for	vs best	Front centering for a 10	Back
BGS 10	$114	best	55/45	70/30
PSA 10	$87.50	−$26.50	55/45	75/25
CGC 10	$53.00	−$61.00	55/45	75/25
SGC 10	$53.00	−$61.00	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.

Full grade ladder

Raw conditions & history →

Calvin Johnson [Gold Refractor] #50 graded prices by company and grade
Grade	PSA	CGC	BGS	SGC	Graded
10	$87.50	$53.00	$114	$53.00	—
9.5	—	—	—	—	$76.27
9	—	—	—	—	$52.25
8	—	—	—	—	$22.45

Swipe the table for the other grading companies →

Run your own numbers

Should I pay this?

Asking priceGrading fee

Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.

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Grading Calvin Johnson [Gold Refractor] #50 — FAQ

Is Calvin Johnson [Gold Refractor] #50 worth grading?

How much is a PSA 10 Calvin Johnson [Gold Refractor] #50 worth compared with raw?

A PSA 10 Calvin Johnson [Gold Refractor] #50 (Football Cards 2009 Topps Finest) sells for about $87.50 versus $26.39 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3.3× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.

Which grading company is best for Calvin Johnson [Gold Refractor] #50?

By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $114, ahead of PSA 10 at $87.50. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.

What centering does Calvin Johnson [Gold Refractor] #50 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 Calvin Johnson [Gold Refractor] #50 break even?

At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Calvin Johnson [Gold Refractor] #50 breaks even when it gems about 68% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $52.25).

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