Is Scottie Pippen [Refractor] #52 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2003 Topps Pristine · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Scottie Pippen [Refractor] #52 sells for $77.00 against $21.00 raw: a $56.00 spread, 3.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($70.00) 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)
- $21.00
- Grade 9.5
- $77.00
- PSA 9
- $70.00
- Gem premium
- 3.7×
- 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 | $77.00 | +$31.00 | +$6.00 | −$94.00 |
| PSA 9 | $70.00 | +$24.00 | −$1.00 | −$101 |
Net = sale price − $21.00 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% | $71.75 | +$0.75 |
| 50% | $73.50 | +$2.50 |
| 75% | $75.25 | +$4.25 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 14%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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Other 2003 Topps Pristine cards worth checking
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![LeBron James [Gold Refractor] #102 2003 Topps Pristine card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/QfgAAeSwcd9ouKJS/s-l500.jpg)
![LeBron James [Refractor] #101 2003 Topps Pristine card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/e3QAAeSwlDZqbRoI/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Scottie Pippen [Refractor] #52 — FAQ
Is Scottie Pippen [Refractor] #52 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Scottie Pippen [Refractor] #52 sells for $77.00 against $21.00 raw: a $56.00 spread, 3.7× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($70.00) 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.
What gem rate makes grading Scottie Pippen [Refractor] #52 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Scottie Pippen [Refractor] #52 breaks even when it gems about 14% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $70.00).
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