![Dwight Howard [Gold Refractor] #166 (Basketball Cards 2004 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/tHYAAeSwIaRplWaU/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Dwight Howard [Gold Refractor] #166 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2004 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dwight Howard [Gold Refractor] #166 sells for $2,048 against $600 raw: a $1,448 spread, 3.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($700) 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)
- $600
- PSA 10
- $2,048
- PSA 9
- $700
- Gem premium
- 3.4×
- 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 | $2,048 | +$1,423 | +$1,398 | +$1,298 |
| PSA 9 | $700 | +$75.09 | +$50.09 | −$49.91 |
Net = sale price − $600 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% | $1,037 | +$387 |
| 50% | $1,374 | +$724 |
| 75% | $1,711 | +$1,061 |
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 | $2,663 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $2,048 | −$615 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,229 | −$1,434 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,229 | −$1,434 | 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 | $2,048 | $1,229 | $2,663 | $1,229 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $1,500 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $700 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $219 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2004 Topps Chrome cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
![Carmelo Anthony [Gold Refractor] #15 2004 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ksgAAeSw0iNqS~7-/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Refractor] #8 2004 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/nI4AAeSwZl5qVwYF/s-l500.jpg)
![Tim Duncan [Gold Refractor] #50 2004 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/kPgAAeSw~cFpilSs/s-l500.jpg)
![LeBron James [Xfractor] #23 2004 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/JNcAAeSw5YRqRH2T/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Dwight Howard [Gold Refractor] #166 — FAQ
Is Dwight Howard [Gold Refractor] #166 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dwight Howard [Gold Refractor] #166 sells for $2,048 against $600 raw: a $1,448 spread, 3.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($700) 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 Dwight Howard [Gold Refractor] #166 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dwight Howard [Gold Refractor] #166 (Basketball Cards 2004 Topps Chrome) sells for about $2,048 versus $600 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3.4× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dwight Howard [Gold Refractor] #166?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $2,663, ahead of PSA 10 at $2,048. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dwight Howard [Gold Refractor] #166 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.
Check my card free