Is Stephen Strasburg [Portrait Chrome Black Refractor] #498 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2015 Topps Heritage · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Stephen Strasburg [Portrait Chrome Black Refractor] #498 sells for $39.00 against $6.99 raw: a $32.01 spread, 5.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.00) 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)
- $6.99
- Grade 9.5
- $39.00
- PSA 9
- $35.00
- Gem premium
- 5.6×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $39.00 | +$7.01 | −$17.99 | −$118 |
| PSA 9 | $35.00 | +$3.01 | −$21.99 | −$122 |
Net = sale price − $6.99 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% | $36.00 | −$20.99 |
| 50% | $37.00 | −$19.99 |
| 75% | $38.00 | −$18.99 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $39.00 |
| 9 | $35.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2015 Topps Heritage cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
![Madison Bumgarner [Throwback] #260 2015 Topps Heritage card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/LjEAAeSwmwNpToLT/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Stephen Strasburg [Portrait Chrome Black Refractor] #498 — FAQ
Is Stephen Strasburg [Portrait Chrome Black Refractor] #498 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Stephen Strasburg [Portrait Chrome Black Refractor] #498 sells for $39.00 against $6.99 raw: a $32.01 spread, 5.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($35.00) 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.
Is your baseball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
Check my card free