![Yao Ming [Red Refractor] #21 (Basketball Cards 2005 Finest) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/YIkAAeSw5KtomsfW/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Yao Ming [Red Refractor] #21 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2005 Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Yao Ming [Red Refractor] #21 sells for $252 against $15.50 raw: a $237 spread, 16× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($80.50) 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)
- $15.50
- PSA 10
- $252
- PSA 9
- $80.50
- Gem premium
- 16×
- 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 | $252 | +$212 | +$187 | +$86.79 |
| PSA 9 | $80.50 | +$40.00 | +$15.00 | −$85.00 |
| PSA 8 | $26.00 | −$14.50 | −$39.50 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $15.50 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% | $123 | +$57.95 |
| 50% | $166 | +$101 |
| 75% | $209 | +$144 |
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 | $328 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $252 | −$75.71 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $151 | −$177 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $151 | −$177 | 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 | $252 | $151 | $328 | $151 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $89.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $80.50 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $26.00 |
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)
![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 [Red Refractor] #21 — FAQ
Is Yao Ming [Red Refractor] #21 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Yao Ming [Red Refractor] #21 sells for $252 against $15.50 raw: a $237 spread, 16× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($80.50) 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 Yao Ming [Red Refractor] #21 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Yao Ming [Red Refractor] #21 (Basketball Cards 2005 Finest) sells for about $252 versus $15.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 16× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Yao Ming [Red Refractor] #21?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $328, ahead of PSA 10 at $252. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Yao Ming [Red 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.
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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