Is Matt Cain [Refractor] #208 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2006 Bowman Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Matt Cain [Refractor] #208 sells for $185 against $16.22 raw: a $169 spread, 11× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($79.00) 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)
- $16.22
- PSA 10
- $185
- PSA 9
- $79.00
- Gem premium
- 11×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $185 | +$144 | +$119 | +$18.77 |
| PSA 9 | $79.00 | +$37.78 | +$12.78 | −$87.22 |
| PSA 8 | $2.25 | −$38.97 | −$63.97 | −$164 |
Net = sale price − $16.22 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% | $105 | +$39.28 |
| 50% | $132 | +$65.78 |
| 75% | $158 | +$92.27 |
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 | $240 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $185 | −$55.01 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $111 | −$129 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $111 | −$129 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
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Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2006 Bowman Chrome cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Andy Pettitte [Blue Refractor] #182 2006 Bowman Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/gqcAAOSw9qxmc6L~/s-l500.jpg)
![Justin Verlander [Refractor] #217 2006 Bowman Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/P~sAAeSwq4Fp0myF/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Matt Cain [Refractor] #208 — FAQ
Is Matt Cain [Refractor] #208 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Matt Cain [Refractor] #208 sells for $185 against $16.22 raw: a $169 spread, 11× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($79.00) 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 Matt Cain [Refractor] #208 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Matt Cain [Refractor] #208 (Baseball Cards 2006 Bowman Chrome) sells for about $185 versus $16.22 for a raw near-mint copy — a 11× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Matt Cain [Refractor] #208?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $240, ahead of PSA 10 at $185. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Matt Cain [Refractor] #208 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.
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