Is Ruben Mateo [Refractor] #AE17 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1999 Topps Chrome All Etch · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9 copies of Ruben Mateo [Refractor] #AE17 sell for $2.25, only $0.50 above the $1.75 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($2.25) 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)
- $1.75
- Grade 9
- $2.25
- PSA 9
- $2.25
- Gem premium
- 1.3×
- 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 | $2.25 | −$24.50 | −$49.50 | −$150 |
| PSA 9 | $2.25 | −$24.50 | −$49.50 | −$150 |
Net = sale price − $1.75 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% | $2.25 | −$49.50 |
| 50% | $2.25 | −$49.50 |
| 75% | $2.25 | −$49.50 |
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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Raw conditions & history →Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1999 Topps Chrome All Etch cards worth checking
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![Orlando Hernandez [Refractor] #AE30 1999 Topps Chrome All Etch card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/6TMAAeSw2WZqsXmU/s-l500.jpg)
![Jose Canseco [Refractor] #AE7 1999 Topps Chrome All Etch card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/HN0AAeSwVNZqQu98/s-l500.jpg)
![Randy Johnson [Refractor] #AE28 1999 Topps Chrome All Etch card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/dxwAAeSwezVo0h5U/s-l500.jpg)
![Pedro Martinez [Refractor] #AE29 1999 Topps Chrome All Etch card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/G4AAAeSwEcVquCdc/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Ruben Mateo [Refractor] #AE17 — FAQ
Is Ruben Mateo [Refractor] #AE17 worth grading?
Grade 9 copies of Ruben Mateo [Refractor] #AE17 sell for $2.25, only $0.50 above the $1.75 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($2.25) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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