![Yao Ming [Gold Refractor] #52 (Basketball Cards 2002 Topps Pristine) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/fB8AAeSwcN1p0V9u/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Yao Ming [Gold Refractor] #52 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2002 Topps Pristine · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Yao Ming [Gold Refractor] #52 sells for $303 against $205 raw: a $98.00 spread, 1.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($275) 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)
- $205
- Grade 9.5
- $303
- PSA 9
- $275
- Gem premium
- 1.5×
- 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 | $303 | +$73.00 | +$48.00 | −$52.00 |
| PSA 9 | $275 | +$45.00 | +$20.00 | −$80.00 |
| PSA 8 | $263 | +$33.00 | +$8.00 | −$92.00 |
Net = sale price − $205 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% | $282 | +$27.00 |
| 50% | $289 | +$34.00 |
| 75% | $296 | +$41.00 |
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
Full set checklist →
![Yao Ming [Refractor] #53 2002 Topps Pristine card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/0tcAAOSw18pjn60p/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Gold Refractor] #4 2002 Topps Pristine card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/tx0AAOSwD3dem4Wf/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Yao Ming [Gold Refractor] #52 — FAQ
Is Yao Ming [Gold Refractor] #52 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Yao Ming [Gold Refractor] #52 sells for $303 against $205 raw: a $98.00 spread, 1.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($275) 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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