Is Gary Payton [Chrome Gold Refractor] #81 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2003 Bowman · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Gary Payton [Chrome Gold Refractor] #81 sells for $167 against $0.70 raw: a $166 spread, 239× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($152) 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)
- $0.70
- Grade 9.5
- $167
- PSA 9
- $152
- Gem premium
- 239×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $167 | +$141 | +$116 | +$16.30 |
| PSA 9 | $152 | +$126 | +$101 | +$1.29 |
Net = sale price − $0.70 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% | $156 | +$105 |
| 50% | $159 | +$109 |
| 75% | $163 | +$113 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Gary Payton [Chrome Gold Refractor] #81 — FAQ
Is Gary Payton [Chrome Gold Refractor] #81 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Gary Payton [Chrome Gold Refractor] #81 sells for $167 against $0.70 raw: a $166 spread, 239× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($152) 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.
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