Is David Freese [Blue Refractor Autograph] #230 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2009 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 David Freese [Blue Refractor Autograph] #230 sells for $193 against $138 raw: a $55.50 spread, 1.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($176) 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)
- $138
- Grade 9.5
- $193
- PSA 9
- $176
- Gem premium
- 1.4×
- 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 | $193 | +$30.50 | +$5.50 | −$94.50 |
| PSA 9 | $176 | +$13.00 | −$12.00 | −$112 |
| PSA 8 | $70.00 | −$92.50 | −$118 | −$218 |
Net = sale price − $138 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% | $180 | −$7.63 |
| 50% | $184 | −$3.25 |
| 75% | $189 | +$1.13 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 69%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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Grading David Freese [Blue Refractor Autograph] #230 — FAQ
Is David Freese [Blue Refractor Autograph] #230 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 David Freese [Blue Refractor Autograph] #230 sells for $193 against $138 raw: a $55.50 spread, 1.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($176) 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.
What gem rate makes grading David Freese [Blue Refractor Autograph] #230 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting David Freese [Blue Refractor Autograph] #230 breaks even when it gems about 69% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $176).
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