Is Nolan Ryan [Refractor] #34 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1999 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Nolan Ryan [Refractor] #34 sells for $273 against $169 raw: a $104 spread, 1.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($248) 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)
- $169
- Grade 9.5
- $273
- PSA 9
- $248
- Gem premium
- 1.6×
- 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 | $273 | +$79.04 | +$54.04 | −$45.96 |
| PSA 9 | $248 | +$54.53 | +$29.53 | −$70.47 |
| PSA 8 | $85.00 | −$109 | −$134 | −$234 |
Net = sale price − $169 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% | $255 | +$35.66 |
| 50% | $261 | +$41.78 |
| 75% | $267 | +$47.91 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
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 cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Roy Halladay [Refractors ] #331 1999 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/pbQAAeSwkXJpuKtM/s-l500.jpg)
![Derek Jeter [Refractor] #85 1999 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/g3sAAeSw7UVqTyoS/s-l500.jpg)
![Ken Griffey Jr. [Refractor] #100 1999 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/UFQAAeSwaNVpcvq2/s-l500.jpg)
![Ken Griffey Jr. [Refractor] #224 1999 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/rVsAAeSwJAVqSyQw/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Nolan Ryan [Refractor] #34 — FAQ
Is Nolan Ryan [Refractor] #34 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Nolan Ryan [Refractor] #34 sells for $273 against $169 raw: a $104 spread, 1.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($248) 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.
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your baseball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
