![Rafer Alston [Black Refractor] #144 (Basketball Cards 2004 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/sR8AAeSwcQBqZXms/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Rafer Alston [Black Refractor] #144 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2004 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Rafer Alston [Black Refractor] #144 sells for $120 against $3.38 raw: a $117 spread, 36× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($100) 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)
- $3.38
- PSA 10
- $120
- PSA 9
- $100
- Gem premium
- 36×
- As of
- Sep 4, 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 | $120 | +$91.62 | +$66.62 | −$33.38 |
| PSA 9 | $100 | +$71.62 | +$46.62 | −$53.38 |
| PSA 8 | $9.35 | −$19.03 | −$44.03 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $3.38 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% | $105 | +$51.62 |
| 50% | $110 | +$56.62 |
| 75% | $115 | +$61.62 |
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 | $156 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $120 | −$36.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $72.00 | −$84.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $72.00 | −$84.00 | 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.
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Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
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Should I pay this?
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Grading Rafer Alston [Black Refractor] #144 — FAQ
Is Rafer Alston [Black Refractor] #144 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Rafer Alston [Black Refractor] #144 sells for $120 against $3.38 raw: a $117 spread, 36× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($100) 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 Rafer Alston [Black Refractor] #144 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Rafer Alston [Black Refractor] #144 (Basketball Cards 2004 Topps Chrome) sells for about $120 versus $3.38 for a raw near-mint copy — a 36× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Rafer Alston [Black Refractor] #144?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $156, ahead of PSA 10 at $120. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Rafer Alston [Black Refractor] #144 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.
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