![Yao Ming [Xfractor] #21 (Basketball Cards 2005 Finest) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/f6kAAeSwtWFqZQiy/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Yao Ming [Xfractor] #21 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2005 Finest · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 4.3× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Yao Ming [Xfractor] #21 sells for $154 against $35.59 raw: a $118 spread, 4.3× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($47.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $35.59
- PSA 10
- $154
- PSA 9
- $47.00
- Gem premium
- 4.3×
- 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 | $154 | +$92.91 | +$67.91 | −$32.09 |
| PSA 9 | $47.00 | −$13.59 | −$38.59 | −$139 |
| PSA 8 | $45.50 | −$15.09 | −$40.09 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $35.59 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% | $73.63 | −$11.97 |
| 50% | $100 | +$14.66 |
| 75% | $127 | +$41.28 |
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 | $200 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $154 | −$46.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $92.00 | −$108 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $92.00 | −$108 | 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 | $154 | $92.00 | $200 | $92.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $52.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $47.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $45.50 |
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 [Xfractor] #21 — FAQ
Is Yao Ming [Xfractor] #21 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Yao Ming [Xfractor] #21 sells for $154 against $35.59 raw: a $118 spread, 4.3× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($47.00) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Yao Ming [Xfractor] #21 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Yao Ming [Xfractor] #21 (Basketball Cards 2005 Finest) sells for about $154 versus $35.59 for a raw near-mint copy — a 4.3× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Yao Ming [Xfractor] #21?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $200, ahead of PSA 10 at $154. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Yao Ming [Xfractor] #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 Yao Ming [Xfractor] #21 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Yao Ming [Xfractor] #21 breaks even when it gems about 36% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $47.00).
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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