Is LeBron James [Refractor] #16 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2009 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 LeBron James [Refractor] #16 sells for $4,820 against $803 raw: a $4,018 spread, 6.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,034) 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)
- $803
- PSA 10
- $4,820
- PSA 9
- $2,034
- Gem premium
- 6.0×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $4,820 | +$3,993 | +$3,968 | +$3,868 |
| PSA 9 | $2,034 | +$1,206 | +$1,181 | +$1,081 |
| PSA 8 | $1,328 | +$500 | +$475 | +$375 |
Net = sale price − $803 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% | $2,731 | +$1,878 |
| 50% | $3,427 | +$2,574 |
| 75% | $4,124 | +$3,271 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $6,267 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $4,820 | −$1,447 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $2,892 | −$3,375 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $2,892 | −$3,375 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $4,820 | $2,892 | $6,267 | $2,892 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $2,445 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $2,034 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $1,328 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $1,048 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2009 Topps Chrome cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
![LeBron James [Gold Refractor] #16 2009 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/TlMAAeSw2Mxqckqj/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Refractor] #44 2009 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/GYAAAeSwIgNqKjn1/s-l500.jpg)
Grading LeBron James [Refractor] #16 — FAQ
Is LeBron James [Refractor] #16 worth grading?
A PSA 10 LeBron James [Refractor] #16 sells for $4,820 against $803 raw: a $4,018 spread, 6.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,034) 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 LeBron James [Refractor] #16 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 LeBron James [Refractor] #16 (Basketball Cards 2009 Topps Chrome) sells for about $4,820 versus $803 for a raw near-mint copy — a 6.0× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for LeBron James [Refractor] #16?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $6,267, ahead of PSA 10 at $4,820. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does LeBron James [Refractor] #16 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.
Is your basketball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
Check my card free