Is Mark Loretta [Refractor] #134 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Mark Loretta [Refractor] #134 sells for $44.00 against $8.50 raw: a $35.50 spread, 5.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($40.00) 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
- $44.00
- PSA 9
- $40.00
- Gem premium
- 5.2×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $44.00 | +$10.50 | −$14.50 | −$115 |
| PSA 9 | $40.00 | +$6.50 | −$18.50 | −$119 |
| PSA 8 | $20.76 | −$12.74 | −$37.74 | −$138 |
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% | $41.00 | −$17.50 |
| 50% | $42.00 | −$16.50 |
| 75% | $43.00 | −$15.50 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Mark Loretta [Refractor] #134 — FAQ
Is Mark Loretta [Refractor] #134 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Mark Loretta [Refractor] #134 sells for $44.00 against $8.50 raw: a $35.50 spread, 5.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($40.00) 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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