![Alan Benes [Refractor] #78 (Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ZdkAAOSwZElkhIw2/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Alan Benes [Refractor] #78 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Alan Benes [Refractor] #78 sells for $88.00 against $8.50 raw: a $79.50 spread, 10× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($79.95) 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)
- $8.50
- Grade 9.5
- $88.00
- PSA 9
- $79.95
- Gem premium
- 10×
- 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 | $88.00 | +$54.50 | +$29.50 | −$70.50 |
| PSA 9 | $79.95 | +$46.45 | +$21.45 | −$78.55 |
| PSA 8 | $37.50 | +$4.00 | −$21.00 | −$121 |
Net = sale price − $8.50 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% | $81.96 | +$23.46 |
| 50% | $83.97 | +$25.47 |
| 75% | $85.99 | +$27.49 |
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 | $88.00 |
| 9 | $79.95 |
| 8 | $37.50 |
| 7 | $12.50 |
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 →Grading Alan Benes [Refractor] #78 — FAQ
Is Alan Benes [Refractor] #78 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Alan Benes [Refractor] #78 sells for $88.00 against $8.50 raw: a $79.50 spread, 10× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($79.95) 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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