Is Randy Johnson [Refractor] #257 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1998 Bowman Chrome International · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Randy Johnson [Refractor] #257 sells for $127 against $4.45 raw: a $123 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($115) 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)
- $4.45
- Grade 9.5
- $127
- PSA 9
- $115
- Gem premium
- 29×
- 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 | $127 | +$97.55 | +$72.55 | −$27.45 |
| PSA 9 | $115 | +$85.55 | +$60.55 | −$39.45 |
Net = sale price − $4.45 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% | $118 | +$63.55 |
| 50% | $121 | +$66.55 |
| 75% | $124 | +$69.55 |
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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Grading Randy Johnson [Refractor] #257 — FAQ
Is Randy Johnson [Refractor] #257 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Randy Johnson [Refractor] #257 sells for $127 against $4.45 raw: a $123 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($115) 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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