![Jack McDowell [Refractor] #69 (Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/X7YAAeSw9uxpsxkd/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Jack McDowell [Refractor] #69 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Jack McDowell [Refractor] #69 sells for $118 against $10.00 raw: a $108 spread, 12× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($107) 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)
- $10.00
- Grade 9.5
- $118
- PSA 9
- $107
- Gem premium
- 12×
- 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 | $118 | +$83.00 | +$58.00 | −$42.00 |
| PSA 9 | $107 | +$72.00 | +$47.00 | −$53.00 |
| PSA 8 | $17.75 | −$17.25 | −$42.25 | −$142 |
Net = sale price − $10.00 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% | $110 | +$49.75 |
| 50% | $113 | +$52.50 |
| 75% | $115 | +$55.25 |
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 | $118 |
| 9 | $107 |
| 8 | $17.75 |
| 7 | $14.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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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 Jack McDowell [Refractor] #69 — FAQ
Is Jack McDowell [Refractor] #69 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Jack McDowell [Refractor] #69 sells for $118 against $10.00 raw: a $108 spread, 12× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($107) 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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