Is Alex Cole [Refractor] #12 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1993 Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Alex Cole [Refractor] #12 sells for $609 against $200 raw: a $409 spread, 3.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($554) 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)
- $200
- Grade 9.5
- $609
- PSA 9
- $554
- Gem premium
- 3.0×
- 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 | $609 | +$384 | +$359 | +$259 |
| PSA 9 | $554 | +$329 | +$304 | +$204 |
| PSA 8 | $410 | +$185 | +$160 | +$60.00 |
Net = sale price − $200 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% | $567 | +$317 |
| 50% | $581 | +$331 |
| 75% | $595 | +$345 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1993 Finest cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Cal Ripken Jr. [Refractor] #96 1993 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/x9oAAeSwwvJqVD8y/s-l500.jpg)
![Kenny Lofton [Refractor] #43 1993 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/hrgAAeSwvEZqi5ft/s-l500.jpg)
![Frank Thomas [Refractor] #102 1993 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/urYAAeSw0KVqln8Z/s-l500.jpg)
![Ken Griffey Jr. [Refractor] #110 1993 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Tr0AAeSwEG1qeSg1/s-l500.jpg)
![Barry Bonds [Refractor] #103 1993 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/o8oAAeSwDWdqnvim/s-l500.jpg)
![Nolan Ryan [Refractor] #107 1993 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/OqwAAeSwc~ppyKfw/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Alex Cole [Refractor] #12 — FAQ
Is Alex Cole [Refractor] #12 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Alex Cole [Refractor] #12 sells for $609 against $200 raw: a $409 spread, 3.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($554) 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.
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your baseball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
