Is Nikita Mazepin [Sapphire] #18 worth grading?

Racing · Racing Cards 2021 Topps Chrome Formula 1 · full price guide →

Grading rarely pays for this card

Grade 9.5 copies of Nikita Mazepin [Sapphire] #18 sell for $8.00, only $5.37 above the $2.63 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($7.44) 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): $2.63
Grade 9.5: $8.00
PSA 9: $7.44
Gem premium: 3.0×
As of: Sep 3, 2026

Break-even by outcome and fee

Nikita Mazepin [Sapphire] #18: 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	$8.00	−$19.63	−$44.63	−$145
PSA 9	$7.44	−$20.19	−$45.19	−$145

Net = sale price − $2.63 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?

Nikita Mazepin [Sapphire] #18: expected value of submitting by gem probability
Chance it gems	Expected sale	Expected net (standard fee)
25%	$7.58	−$45.05
50%	$7.72	−$44.91
75%	$7.86	−$44.77

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 →

Nikita Mazepin [Sapphire] #18 graded prices by company and grade
Grade	Graded
9.5	$8.00
9	$7.44

Run your own numbers

Should I pay this?

Asking priceGrading fee

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

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