![Joe Carter [Refractor] #31 (Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/z9YAAeSwBEtqbBBc/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Joe Carter [Refractor] #31 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Joe Carter [Refractor] #31 sells for $83.00 against $23.68 raw: a $59.32 spread, 3.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($75.00) 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)
- $23.68
- Grade 9.5
- $83.00
- PSA 9
- $75.00
- Gem premium
- 3.5×
- 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 | $83.00 | +$34.32 | +$9.32 | −$90.68 |
| PSA 9 | $75.00 | +$26.32 | +$1.32 | −$98.68 |
| PSA 8 | $26.00 | −$22.68 | −$47.68 | −$148 |
Net = sale price − $23.68 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% | $77.00 | +$3.32 |
| 50% | $79.00 | +$5.32 |
| 75% | $81.00 | +$7.32 |
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 | $83.00 |
| 9 | $75.00 |
| 8 | $26.00 |
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 Joe Carter [Refractor] #31 — FAQ
Is Joe Carter [Refractor] #31 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Joe Carter [Refractor] #31 sells for $83.00 against $23.68 raw: a $59.32 spread, 3.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($75.00) 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