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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
Jul 11, 2026

Break-even by outcome and fee

Yao Ming [Gold Refractor] #34: net result of grading versus selling raw, by outcome and fee tier
If it comes back…Sells forEconomy / 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?

Yao Ming [Gold Refractor] #34: expected value of submitting by gem probability
Chance it gemsExpected saleExpected net (standard fee)
25%$899−$139
50%$921−$117
75%$943−$94.89

At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.

Full grade ladder

Raw conditions & history →
Yao Ming [Gold Refractor] #34 graded prices by company and grade
GradeGraded
9.5$965
9$877
8$538

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 →
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Kobe Bryant [Refractor] #44
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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.

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.

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