![Roberto Clemente [Refractor] #21 (Baseball Cards 1998 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/MdAAAeSwIX5qZQNO/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Roberto Clemente [Refractor] #21 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1998 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Roberto Clemente [Refractor] #21 sell for $96.00, only $6.01 above the $89.99 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($87.30) 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)
- $89.99
- Grade 9.5
- $96.00
- PSA 9
- $87.30
- Gem premium
- 1.1×
- 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 | $96.00 | −$18.99 | −$43.99 | −$144 |
| PSA 9 | $87.30 | −$27.69 | −$52.69 | −$153 |
| PSA 8 | $34.33 | −$80.66 | −$106 | −$206 |
Net = sale price − $89.99 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% | $89.47 | −$50.52 |
| 50% | $91.65 | −$48.34 |
| 75% | $93.83 | −$46.16 |
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 Roberto Clemente [Refractor] #21 — FAQ
Is Roberto Clemente [Refractor] #21 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Roberto Clemente [Refractor] #21 sell for $96.00, only $6.01 above the $89.99 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($87.30) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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