Is Tino Martinez [Refractor] #288 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1999 Bowman Chrome Gold · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Tino Martinez [Refractor] #288 sells for $289 against $228 raw: a $60.65 spread, 1.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($263) 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)
- $228
- Grade 9.5
- $289
- PSA 9
- $263
- Gem premium
- 1.3×
- 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 | $289 | +$35.65 | +$10.65 | −$89.35 |
| PSA 9 | $263 | +$9.64 | −$15.36 | −$115 |
Net = sale price − $228 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% | $269 | −$8.86 |
| 50% | $276 | −$2.35 |
| 75% | $282 | +$4.15 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 59%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $289 |
| 9 | $263 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1999 Bowman Chrome Gold cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Tino Martinez [Refractor] #288 — FAQ
Is Tino Martinez [Refractor] #288 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Tino Martinez [Refractor] #288 sells for $289 against $228 raw: a $60.65 spread, 1.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($263) 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.
What gem rate makes grading Tino Martinez [Refractor] #288 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Tino Martinez [Refractor] #288 breaks even when it gems about 59% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $263).
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.
Check my card free