![Chipper Jones [Refractor] #52 (Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/DGQAAeSwiC9qH68-/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Chipper Jones [Refractor] #52 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Chipper Jones [Refractor] #52 sells for $544 against $214 raw: a $330 spread, 2.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($494) 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)
- $214
- Grade 9.5
- $544
- PSA 9
- $494
- Gem premium
- 2.5×
- 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 | $544 | +$305 | +$280 | +$180 |
| PSA 9 | $494 | +$255 | +$230 | +$130 |
| PSA 8 | $122 | −$117 | −$142 | −$242 |
Net = sale price − $214 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% | $507 | +$242 |
| 50% | $519 | +$255 |
| 75% | $532 | +$267 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SGC 10 | $450 | best | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | $450 | — |
| 9.5 | — | $544 |
| 9 | — | $494 |
| 8 | — | $122 |
| 7 | — | $98.00 |
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 Chipper Jones [Refractor] #52 — FAQ
Is Chipper Jones [Refractor] #52 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Chipper Jones [Refractor] #52 sells for $544 against $214 raw: a $330 spread, 2.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($494) 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 centering does Chipper Jones [Refractor] #52 need for a SGC 10?
SGC publishes 55/45 front and 75/25 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
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