Is Diego Costa [Green Refractor] #81 worth grading?
Soccer · Soccer Cards 2017 Topps Chrome UEFA Champions League · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Diego Costa [Green Refractor] #81 sells for $72.00 against $10.13 raw: a $61.87 spread, 7.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($65.00) 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)
- $10.13
- Grade 9.5
- $72.00
- PSA 9
- $65.00
- Gem premium
- 7.1×
- 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 | $72.00 | +$36.87 | +$11.87 | −$88.13 |
| PSA 9 | $65.00 | +$29.87 | +$4.87 | −$95.13 |
Net = sale price − $10.13 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% | $66.75 | +$6.62 |
| 50% | $68.50 | +$8.37 |
| 75% | $70.25 | +$10.12 |
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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Grading Diego Costa [Green Refractor] #81 — FAQ
Is Diego Costa [Green Refractor] #81 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Diego Costa [Green Refractor] #81 sells for $72.00 against $10.13 raw: a $61.87 spread, 7.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($65.00) 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.
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