Is Matt Cain [Black Refractor] #HC18 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2013 Topps Heritage Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Matt Cain [Black Refractor] #HC18 sells for $49.00 against $3.24 raw: a $45.76 spread, 15× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($44.99) 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)
- $3.24
- Grade 9.5
- $49.00
- PSA 9
- $44.99
- Gem premium
- 15×
- 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 | $49.00 | +$20.76 | −$4.24 | −$104 |
| PSA 9 | $44.99 | +$16.75 | −$8.25 | −$108 |
Net = sale price − $3.24 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% | $45.99 | −$7.25 |
| 50% | $47.00 | −$6.24 |
| 75% | $48.00 | −$5.24 |
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 2013 Topps Heritage Chrome cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
![Mike Trout [Black Refractor] #HC10 2013 Topps Heritage Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/8ocAAeSw7QpqM32o/s-l500.jpg)
![Mike Trout [Refractor] #HC10 2013 Topps Heritage Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/XO0AAeSwFCdp--6M/s-l500.jpg)
![Mike Trout [Purple Refractor] #HC10 2013 Topps Heritage Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/kEsAAeSwFONqLjFR/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Matt Cain [Black Refractor] #HC18 — FAQ
Is Matt Cain [Black Refractor] #HC18 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Matt Cain [Black Refractor] #HC18 sells for $49.00 against $3.24 raw: a $45.76 spread, 15× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($44.99) 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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