Is Yao Ming [Gold Refractor] #34 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2009 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Yao Ming [Gold Refractor] #34 sell for $965, only $0.00 above the $988 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($877) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $988
- Grade 9.5
- $965
- PSA 9
- $877
- Gem premium
- 1.0×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $965 | −$48.00 | −$73.00 | −$173 |
| PSA 9 | $877 | −$136 | −$161 | −$261 |
| PSA 8 | $538 | −$475 | −$500 | −$600 |
Net = sale price − $988 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% | $899 | −$139 |
| 50% | $921 | −$117 |
| 75% | $943 | −$94.92 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Should I pay this?
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Grading Yao Ming [Gold Refractor] #34 — FAQ
Is Yao Ming [Gold Refractor] #34 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Yao Ming [Gold Refractor] #34 sell for $965, only $0.00 above the $988 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($877) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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