![Mark McGwire [Retrofractor] #38 (Baseball Cards 2001 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/g9MAAeSwSIRpMKjd/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Mark McGwire [Retrofractor] #38 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2001 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Mark McGwire [Retrofractor] #38 sells for $311 against $158 raw: a $153 spread, 2.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($303) 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)
- $158
- PSA 10
- $311
- PSA 9
- $303
- Gem premium
- 2.0×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $311 | +$128 | +$103 | +$2.98 |
| PSA 9 | $303 | +$120 | +$95.48 | −$4.52 |
| PSA 8 | $275 | +$92.48 | +$67.48 | −$32.52 |
Net = sale price − $158 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% | $305 | +$97.35 |
| 50% | $307 | +$99.23 |
| 75% | $309 | +$101 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $404 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $311 | −$93.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $186 | −$218 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $186 | −$218 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $311 | $186 | $404 | $186 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $304 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $303 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $275 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $54.86 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2001 Topps Chrome cards worth checking
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![Albert Pujols [Retrofractor] #596 2001 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/hh4AAeSwI2NqRadd/s-l500.jpg)
![Tony Gwynn [Retrofractor] #168 2001 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/iiAAAeSw6JZpv9xR/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Mark McGwire [Retrofractor] #38 — FAQ
Is Mark McGwire [Retrofractor] #38 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Mark McGwire [Retrofractor] #38 sells for $311 against $158 raw: a $153 spread, 2.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($303) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Mark McGwire [Retrofractor] #38 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Mark McGwire [Retrofractor] #38 (Baseball Cards 2001 Topps Chrome) sells for about $311 versus $158 for a raw near-mint copy — a 2.0× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Mark McGwire [Retrofractor] #38?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $404, ahead of PSA 10 at $311. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Mark McGwire [Retrofractor] #38 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
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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