![1951 Bowman Reprint [Refractor] #1 (Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Mantle Finest) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Th4AAeSwYrtqcCOA/s-l1600.jpg)
Is 1951 Bowman Reprint [Refractor] #1 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Topps Mantle Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 1951 Bowman Reprint [Refractor] #1 sells for $72.00 against $25.50 raw: a $46.50 spread, 2.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($65.00) 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)
- $25.50
- Grade 9.5
- $72.00
- PSA 9
- $65.00
- Gem premium
- 2.8×
- 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 | $72.00 | +$21.50 | −$3.50 | −$104 |
| PSA 9 | $65.00 | +$14.50 | −$10.50 | −$111 |
Net = sale price − $25.50 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% | $66.75 | −$8.75 |
| 50% | $68.50 | −$7.00 |
| 75% | $70.25 | −$5.25 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $72.00 |
| 9 | $65.00 |
| 7 | $26.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1996 Topps Mantle Finest cards worth checking
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![1955 Bowman Reprint [Refractor] #5 1996 Topps Mantle Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/vm0AAeSwOKhqY-7C/s-l500.jpg)
![1952 Topps Reprint [Refractor,w/ Coating] #2 1996 Topps Mantle Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/cEcAAOSwsFxjPwem/s-l500.jpg)
![1952 Topps Reprint [Refractor] #2 1996 Topps Mantle Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/7rwAAeSw8fBqaluI/s-l500.jpg)
![1955 Bowman Reprint [Refractor,w/ Coating] #5 1996 Topps Mantle Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/oAAAAeSwNlxqSlsR/s-l500.jpg)
Grading 1951 Bowman Reprint [Refractor] #1 — FAQ
Is 1951 Bowman Reprint [Refractor] #1 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 1951 Bowman Reprint [Refractor] #1 sells for $72.00 against $25.50 raw: a $46.50 spread, 2.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($65.00) 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.
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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