![Tim Duncan [Orange Refractor] #21 (Basketball Cards 2008 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/~YcAAeSwvqJqY8hE/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Tim Duncan [Orange Refractor] #21 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2008 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 3.1× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Tim Duncan [Orange Refractor] #21 sells for $236 against $76.38 raw: a $160 spread, 3.1× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($64.50) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $76.38
- PSA 10
- $236
- PSA 9
- $64.50
- Gem premium
- 3.1×
- 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 | $236 | +$135 | +$110 | +$10.00 |
| PSA 9 | $64.50 | −$36.88 | −$61.88 | −$162 |
| PSA 8 | $52.00 | −$49.38 | −$74.38 | −$174 |
Net = sale price − $76.38 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% | $107 | −$18.91 |
| 50% | $150 | +$24.06 |
| 75% | $193 | +$67.03 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 36%. 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 | $307 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $236 | −$70.62 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $150 | −$157 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $142 | −$165 | 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 | $236 | $142 | $307 | $150 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $72.30 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $64.50 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $52.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2008 Topps Chrome cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![LeBron James [Gold Refractor] #23 2008 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/WooAAeSwizZqUE9N/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Refractor] #24 2008 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/7zcAAeSwMJ5qTJhU/s-l500.jpg)
![LeBron James [Xfractor] #23 2008 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/bU4AAOSwpupgSYij/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Orange Refractor] #24 2008 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/fkIAAeSwfPlqKNHX/s-l500.jpg)
![LeBron James [Orange Refractor] #23 2008 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/lLsAAeSwHNFqDZha/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Xfractor] #24 2008 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/2nQAAOSw5adm~sBG/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Tim Duncan [Orange Refractor] #21 — FAQ
Is Tim Duncan [Orange Refractor] #21 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Tim Duncan [Orange Refractor] #21 sells for $236 against $76.38 raw: a $160 spread, 3.1× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($64.50) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Tim Duncan [Orange Refractor] #21 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Tim Duncan [Orange Refractor] #21 (Basketball Cards 2008 Topps Chrome) sells for about $236 versus $76.38 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3.1× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Tim Duncan [Orange Refractor] #21?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $307, ahead of PSA 10 at $236. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Tim Duncan [Orange 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 Tim Duncan [Orange Refractor] #21 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tim Duncan [Orange Refractor] #21 breaks even when it gems about 36% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $64.50).
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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