![Ruben Mateo [Refractor] #396 (Baseball Cards 1998 Bowman Chrome International) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/EkgAAOSwPf1mGV1m/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Ruben Mateo [Refractor] #396 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1998 Bowman Chrome International · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Ruben Mateo [Refractor] #396 sell for $5.00, only $0.00 above the $5.99 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($4.99) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $5.99
- Grade 9.5
- $5.00
- PSA 9
- $4.99
- Gem premium
- 0.8×
- 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 | $5.00 | −$25.99 | −$50.99 | −$151 |
| PSA 9 | $4.99 | −$26.00 | −$51.00 | −$151 |
Net = sale price − $5.99 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% | $4.99 | −$51.00 |
| 50% | $5.00 | −$50.99 |
| 75% | $5.00 | −$50.99 |
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 | $5.00 |
| 9 | $4.99 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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![Alex Rodriguez [Refractor] #232 1998 Bowman Chrome International card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PGAAAOSwHrBnYHg-/s-l500.jpg)
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Grading Ruben Mateo [Refractor] #396 — FAQ
Is Ruben Mateo [Refractor] #396 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Ruben Mateo [Refractor] #396 sell for $5.00, only $0.00 above the $5.99 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($4.99) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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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