Is Pau Gasol Gold Refractor #23 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2002 Topps Pristine · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Pau Gasol Gold Refractor #23 sells for $206 against $42.22 raw: a $164 spread, 4.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($118) 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)
- $42.22
- Grade 9.5
- $206
- PSA 9
- $118
- Gem premium
- 4.9×
- 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 | $206 | +$139 | +$114 | +$13.57 |
| PSA 9 | $118 | +$50.39 | +$25.39 | −$74.61 |
| PSA 8 | $70.00 | +$2.78 | −$22.22 | −$122 |
Net = sale price − $42.22 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% | $140 | +$47.44 |
| 50% | $162 | +$69.48 |
| 75% | $184 | +$91.53 |
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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Other 2002 Topps Pristine cards worth checking
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Grading Pau Gasol Gold Refractor #23 — FAQ
Is Pau Gasol Gold Refractor #23 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Pau Gasol Gold Refractor #23 sells for $206 against $42.22 raw: a $164 spread, 4.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($118) 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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