![John Valentin [Refractor] #46 (Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/aFAAAeSw8HVqPOSP/s-l1600.jpg)
Is John Valentin [Refractor] #46 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 John Valentin [Refractor] #46 sells for $70.00 against $17.07 raw: a $52.93 spread, 4.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($63.49) 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)
- $17.07
- Grade 9.5
- $70.00
- PSA 9
- $63.49
- Gem premium
- 4.1×
- 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 | $70.00 | +$27.93 | +$2.93 | −$97.07 |
| PSA 9 | $63.49 | +$21.42 | −$3.58 | −$104 |
| PSA 8 | $42.10 | +$0.03 | −$24.97 | −$125 |
Net = sale price − $17.07 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% | $65.12 | −$1.95 |
| 50% | $66.75 | −$0.32 |
| 75% | $68.37 | +$1.30 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 55%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $70.00 |
| 9 | $63.49 |
| 8 | $42.10 |
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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![Mike Mussina [Refractor] #23 1996 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/iYcAAeSwmd1qSuAN/s-l500.jpg)
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Grading John Valentin [Refractor] #46 — FAQ
Is John Valentin [Refractor] #46 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 John Valentin [Refractor] #46 sells for $70.00 against $17.07 raw: a $52.93 spread, 4.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($63.49) 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.
What gem rate makes grading John Valentin [Refractor] #46 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting John Valentin [Refractor] #46 breaks even when it gems about 55% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $63.49).
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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