![Tony Gwynn [Refractor] #1 (Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/rAgAAOSwLEdj3AyG/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Tony Gwynn [Refractor] #1 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Tony Gwynn [Refractor] #1 sells for $230 against $23.52 raw: a $206 spread, 9.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($210) 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)
- $23.52
- Grade 9.5
- $230
- PSA 9
- $210
- Gem premium
- 9.8×
- 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 | $230 | +$181 | +$156 | +$56.48 |
| PSA 9 | $210 | +$161 | +$136 | +$35.98 |
| PSA 8 | $112 | +$63.95 | +$38.95 | −$61.05 |
Net = sale price − $23.52 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% | $215 | +$141 |
| 50% | $220 | +$146 |
| 75% | $225 | +$151 |
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 →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $230 |
| 9 | $210 |
| 8 | $112 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1996 Topps Chrome cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Troy Percival [Refractor] #16 1996 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/mysAAOSwWRZnn5hJ/s-l500.jpg)
![Derek Jeter [Refractor] #80 1996 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/m7YAAeSwZPJp29OE/s-l500.jpg)
![Mike Mussina [Refractor] #23 1996 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/iYcAAeSwmd1qSuAN/s-l500.jpg)
![Frank Thomas [Refractor] #29 1996 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/LTcAAeSwvPlpTML7/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Tony Gwynn [Refractor] #1 — FAQ
Is Tony Gwynn [Refractor] #1 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Tony Gwynn [Refractor] #1 sells for $230 against $23.52 raw: a $206 spread, 9.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($210) 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