Is Jay Buhner [Refractor] #164 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Jay Buhner [Refractor] #164 sells for $42.00 against $10.95 raw: a $31.05 spread, 3.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($37.99) 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)
- $10.95
- Grade 9.5
- $42.00
- PSA 9
- $37.99
- Gem premium
- 3.8×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $42.00 | +$6.05 | −$18.95 | −$119 |
| PSA 9 | $37.99 | +$2.04 | −$22.96 | −$123 |
Net = sale price − $10.95 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% | $38.99 | −$21.96 |
| 50% | $40.00 | −$20.95 |
| 75% | $41.00 | −$19.95 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Jay Buhner [Refractor] #164 — FAQ
Is Jay Buhner [Refractor] #164 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Jay Buhner [Refractor] #164 sells for $42.00 against $10.95 raw: a $31.05 spread, 3.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($37.99) 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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