Is Luol Deng [Refractor] #179 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2003 Finest · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Luol Deng [Refractor] #179 sell for $23.48, only $14.52 above the $8.96 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($10.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $8.96
- Grade 9.5
- $23.48
- PSA 9
- $10.50
- Gem premium
- 2.6×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $23.48 | −$10.48 | −$35.48 | −$135 |
| PSA 9 | $10.50 | −$23.46 | −$48.46 | −$148 |
Net = sale price − $8.96 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% | $13.75 | −$45.22 |
| 50% | $16.99 | −$41.97 |
| 75% | $20.23 | −$38.73 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Luol Deng [Refractor] #179 — FAQ
Is Luol Deng [Refractor] #179 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Luol Deng [Refractor] #179 sell for $23.48, only $14.52 above the $8.96 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($10.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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