![Barack Obama [Red Refractor] #44 (Baseball Cards 2009 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/208AAOSwwN5mB4q3/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Barack Obama [Red Refractor] #44 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2009 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Barack Obama [Red Refractor] #44 sells for $2,564 against $1,260 raw: a $1,304 spread, 2.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,331) 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)
- $1,260
- Grade 9.5
- $2,564
- PSA 9
- $2,331
- Gem premium
- 2.0×
- 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 | $2,564 | +$1,279 | +$1,254 | +$1,154 |
| PSA 9 | $2,331 | +$1,046 | +$1,021 | +$921 |
| PSA 8 | $1,225 | −$60.00 | −$85.00 | −$185 |
Net = sale price − $1,260 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% | $2,389 | +$1,079 |
| 50% | $2,448 | +$1,138 |
| 75% | $2,506 | +$1,196 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Other 2009 Topps Chrome cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Nolan Reimold [Autograph Refractor] #231 2009 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Gv8AAeSwbk5owON0/s-l500.jpg)
![Barack Obama [Refractor] #44 2009 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/9i4AAeSwFd5p~Ppl/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Barack Obama [Red Refractor] #44 — FAQ
Is Barack Obama [Red Refractor] #44 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Barack Obama [Red Refractor] #44 sells for $2,564 against $1,260 raw: a $1,304 spread, 2.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,331) 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.
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