Is Sam Cassell [Gold Refractor] #40 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2003 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Sam Cassell [Gold Refractor] #40 sells for $146 against $53.62 raw: a $92.38 spread, 2.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($133) 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)
- $53.62
- Grade 9.5
- $146
- PSA 9
- $133
- Gem premium
- 2.7×
- 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 | $146 | +$67.38 | +$42.38 | −$57.62 |
| PSA 9 | $133 | +$53.94 | +$28.94 | −$71.06 |
| PSA 8 | $89.99 | +$11.37 | −$13.63 | −$114 |
Net = sale price − $53.62 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% | $136 | +$32.30 |
| 50% | $139 | +$35.66 |
| 75% | $143 | +$39.02 |
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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Raw conditions & history →Run your own numbers
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Grading Sam Cassell [Gold Refractor] #40 — FAQ
Is Sam Cassell [Gold Refractor] #40 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Sam Cassell [Gold Refractor] #40 sells for $146 against $53.62 raw: a $92.38 spread, 2.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($133) 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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