Is Sebastian Vettel [Orange Red] #178 worth grading?

Racing · Racing Cards 2022 Topps Chrome Formula 1 · full price guide →

Grading rarely pays for this card

Grade 9.5 copies of Sebastian Vettel [Orange Red] #178 sell for $19.00, only $13.01 above the $5.99 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($17.38) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.

Raw (NM): $5.99
Grade 9.5: $19.00
PSA 9: $17.38
Gem premium: 3.2×
As of: Sep 3, 2026

Break-even by outcome and fee

Sebastian Vettel [Orange Red] #178: net result of grading versus selling raw, by outcome and fee tier
If it comes back…	Sells for	Economy / bulk (~$25.00)	Standard (~$50.00)	Express (~$150)
Gem — Grade 9.5	$19.00	−$11.99	−$36.99	−$137
PSA 9	$17.38	−$13.61	−$38.61	−$139

Net = sale price − $5.99 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?

Sebastian Vettel [Orange Red] #178: expected value of submitting by gem probability
Chance it gems	Expected sale	Expected net (standard fee)
25%	$17.79	−$38.20
50%	$18.19	−$37.80
75%	$18.59	−$37.40

At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.

Full grade ladder

Raw conditions & history →

Sebastian Vettel [Orange Red] #178 graded prices by company and grade
Grade	Graded
9.5	$19.00
9	$17.38

Run your own numbers

Should I pay this?

Asking priceGrading fee

Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.

Other 2022 Topps Chrome Formula 1 cards worth checking

Full set checklist →

Yuki Tsunoda [Sapphire] #61

Raw $1.63PSA 10 $976

Charles Leclerc [Black & White RayWave] #25

Raw $4.58PSA 10 $2,446

Esteban Ocon [Black & White RayWave] #41

Raw $4.22PSA 10 $541

George Russell #18

Raw $1.49Graded $1,815

Lance Stroll [Sapphire] #49

Raw $0.99Graded $1,193

Charles Leclerc [Black & White RayWave] #180