![Cal Ripken [Refractor] #82 (Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Xh4AAeSwiXBqOGJt/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Cal Ripken [Refractor] #82 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Cal Ripken [Refractor] #82 sells for $112 against $19.43 raw: a $92.57 spread, 5.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($102) 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)
- $19.43
- Grade 9.5
- $112
- PSA 9
- $102
- Gem premium
- 5.8×
- As of
- Sep 4, 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 | $112 | +$67.57 | +$42.57 | −$57.43 |
| PSA 9 | $102 | +$57.70 | +$32.70 | −$67.30 |
| PSA 8 | $76.40 | +$31.97 | +$6.97 | −$93.03 |
Net = sale price − $19.43 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% | $105 | +$35.17 |
| 50% | $107 | +$37.63 |
| 75% | $110 | +$40.10 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Other 1996 Topps Chrome cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Cal Ripken [Refractor] #82 — FAQ
Is Cal Ripken [Refractor] #82 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Cal Ripken [Refractor] #82 sells for $112 against $19.43 raw: a $92.57 spread, 5.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($102) 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.
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