Is Ricky Nolasco [Black Retrofractor] #96 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2004 Topps Heritage Chrome · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Ricky Nolasco [Black Retrofractor] #96 sell for $14.00, only $0.00 above the $33.95 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($12.50) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $33.95
- Grade 9.5
- $14.00
- PSA 9
- $12.50
- Gem premium
- 0.4×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $14.00 | −$44.95 | −$69.95 | −$170 |
| PSA 9 | $12.50 | −$46.45 | −$71.45 | −$171 |
Net = sale price − $33.95 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% | $12.88 | −$71.08 |
| 50% | $13.25 | −$70.70 |
| 75% | $13.63 | −$70.33 |
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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Other 2004 Topps Heritage Chrome cards worth checking
Full set checklist →Grading Ricky Nolasco [Black Retrofractor] #96 — FAQ
Is Ricky Nolasco [Black Retrofractor] #96 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Ricky Nolasco [Black Retrofractor] #96 sell for $14.00, only $0.00 above the $33.95 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($12.50) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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