![Mitch Richmond [Refractor] #21 (Basketball Cards 1996 Bowman's Best) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/tf4AAeSwX9NqwVBg/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Mitch Richmond [Refractor] #21 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Bowman's Best · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Mitch Richmond [Refractor] #21 sells for $212 against $6.48 raw: a $206 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($41.20) 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)
- $6.48
- PSA 10
- $212
- PSA 9
- $41.20
- Gem premium
- 33×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $212 | +$181 | +$156 | +$55.87 |
| PSA 9 | $41.20 | +$9.72 | −$15.28 | −$115 |
| PSA 8 | $19.98 | −$11.50 | −$36.50 | −$137 |
Net = sale price − $6.48 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% | $83.99 | +$27.51 |
| 50% | $127 | +$70.30 |
| 75% | $170 | +$113 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 9%. 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 | $276 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $212 | −$63.65 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $127 | −$149 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $127 | −$149 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1996 Bowman's Best cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Michael Jordan [Refractor] #80 1996 Bowman's Best card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/dQwAAeSwSKpqns4D/s-l500.jpg)
![Jerry Stackhouse [Refractor] #19 1996 Bowman's Best card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/U08AAeSwvoBqrDIU/s-l500.jpg)
![Mitch Richmond [Atomic Refractor] #21 1996 Bowman's Best card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/JRYAAeSwQGhqeoaV/s-l500.jpg)
![Alonzo Mourning [Atomic Refractor] #41 1996 Bowman's Best card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/7w8AAeSwRb9qpJ94/s-l500.jpg)
![Anfernee Hardaway [Atomic Refractor] #31 1996 Bowman's Best card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/N8AAAOSwV9VhHR-D/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Mitch Richmond [Refractor] #21 — FAQ
Is Mitch Richmond [Refractor] #21 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Mitch Richmond [Refractor] #21 sells for $212 against $6.48 raw: a $206 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($41.20) 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 Mitch Richmond [Refractor] #21 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Mitch Richmond [Refractor] #21 (Basketball Cards 1996 Bowman's Best) sells for about $212 versus $6.48 for a raw near-mint copy — a 33× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Mitch Richmond [Refractor] #21?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $276, ahead of PSA 10 at $212. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Mitch Richmond [Refractor] #21 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 Mitch Richmond [Refractor] #21 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Mitch Richmond [Refractor] #21 breaks even when it gems about 9% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $41.20).
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