![Cal Ripken Jr. [Refractor] #28 (Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/mf8AAeSwcGlqZjvb/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Cal Ripken Jr. [Refractor] #28 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Cal Ripken Jr. [Refractor] #28 sells for $199 against $150 raw: a $49.01 spread, 1.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($181) 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)
- $150
- Grade 9.5
- $199
- PSA 9
- $181
- Gem premium
- 1.3×
- 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 | $199 | +$24.01 | −$0.99 | −$101 |
| PSA 9 | $181 | +$5.83 | −$19.17 | −$119 |
| PSA 8 | $133 | −$42.49 | −$67.49 | −$167 |
Net = sale price − $150 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% | $185 | −$14.63 |
| 50% | $190 | −$10.08 |
| 75% | $194 | −$5.54 |
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 | $199 |
| 9 | $181 |
| 8 | $133 |
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
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![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 Cal Ripken Jr. [Refractor] #28 — FAQ
Is Cal Ripken Jr. [Refractor] #28 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Cal Ripken Jr. [Refractor] #28 sells for $199 against $150 raw: a $49.01 spread, 1.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($181) 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.
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