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 $86.87 raw: a $106 spread, 2.2× 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)
- $86.87
- Grade 9.5
- $193
- PSA 9
- $176
- Gem premium
- 2.2×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $193 | +$81.13 | +$56.13 | −$43.87 |
| PSA 9 | $176 | +$63.63 | +$38.63 | −$61.37 |
| PSA 8 | $70.00 | −$41.87 | −$66.87 | −$167 |
Net = sale price − $86.87 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 | +$43.00 |
| 50% | $184 | +$47.38 |
| 75% | $189 | +$51.75 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $193 |
| 9 | $176 |
| 8 | $70.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 2009 Topps Chrome cards worth checking
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![David Freese [Autograph] #230 2009 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/L3MAAeSwdqlqXpmw/s-l500.jpg)
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 $86.87 raw: a $106 spread, 2.2× 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.
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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