Is Yao Ming [Refractor] #51 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2002 Topps Pristine · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Yao Ming [Refractor] #51 sells for $211 against $63.78 raw: a $147 spread, 3.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($110) 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)
- $63.78
- PSA 10
- $211
- PSA 9
- $110
- Gem premium
- 3.3×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $211 | +$122 | +$96.99 | −$3.01 |
| PSA 9 | $110 | +$21.22 | −$3.78 | −$104 |
| PSA 8 | $99.99 | +$11.21 | −$13.79 | −$114 |
Net = sale price − $63.78 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% | $135 | +$21.41 |
| 50% | $160 | +$46.60 |
| 75% | $186 | +$71.80 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 4%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $274 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $211 | −$63.23 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $139 | −$135 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $126 | −$148 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
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Grading Yao Ming [Refractor] #51 — FAQ
Is Yao Ming [Refractor] #51 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Yao Ming [Refractor] #51 sells for $211 against $63.78 raw: a $147 spread, 3.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($110) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Yao Ming [Refractor] #51 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Yao Ming [Refractor] #51 (Basketball Cards 2002 Topps Pristine) sells for about $211 versus $63.78 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3.3× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Yao Ming [Refractor] #51?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $274, ahead of PSA 10 at $211. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Yao Ming [Refractor] #51 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
What gem rate makes grading Yao Ming [Refractor] #51 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Yao Ming [Refractor] #51 breaks even when it gems about 4% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $110).
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