![Yao Ming [Green Refractor] #21 (Basketball Cards 2005 Finest) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/K6sAAOSwvw5j3GjE/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Yao Ming [Green Refractor] #21 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2005 Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Yao Ming [Green Refractor] #21 sells for $127 against $43.00 raw: a $84.00 spread, 3.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($115) 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)
- $43.00
- Grade 9.5
- $127
- PSA 9
- $115
- Gem premium
- 3.0×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $127 | +$59.00 | +$34.00 | −$66.00 |
| PSA 9 | $115 | +$47.00 | +$22.00 | −$78.00 |
Net = sale price − $43.00 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% | $118 | +$25.00 |
| 50% | $121 | +$28.00 |
| 75% | $124 | +$31.00 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $127 |
| 9 | $115 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2005 Finest cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Jay Z [Refractor] #101 2005 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PQ4AAOSwXVBndenH/s-l500.jpg)
![Yao Ming [Red Refractor] #21 2005 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/YIkAAeSw5KtomsfW/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Green Refractor] #33 2005 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/txQAAeSwyShqdRFq/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Refractor] #33 2005 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Y6kAAeSw0OpoljUZ/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Red Refractor] #33 2005 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/C3oAAOSwGQ1gc86I/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Yao Ming [Green Refractor] #21 — FAQ
Is Yao Ming [Green Refractor] #21 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Yao Ming [Green Refractor] #21 sells for $127 against $43.00 raw: a $84.00 spread, 3.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($115) 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.
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