![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 $97.00, only $17.00 above the $80.00 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($88.60) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $80.00
- Grade 9.5
- $97.00
- PSA 9
- $88.60
- Gem premium
- 1.2×
- 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 | $97.00 | −$8.00 | −$33.00 | −$133 |
| PSA 9 | $88.60 | −$16.40 | −$41.40 | −$141 |
| PSA 8 | $34.33 | −$70.67 | −$95.67 | −$196 |
Net = sale price − $80.00 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% | $90.70 | −$39.30 |
| 50% | $92.80 | −$37.20 |
| 75% | $94.90 | −$35.10 |
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 | $97.00 |
| 9 | $88.60 |
| 8 | $34.33 |
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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Grading Roberto Clemente [Refractor] #21 — FAQ
Is Roberto Clemente [Refractor] #21 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Roberto Clemente [Refractor] #21 sell for $97.00, only $17.00 above the $80.00 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($88.60) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. 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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