Is Max Verstappen [Refractor] #3 worth grading?
Racing · Racing Cards 2021 Topps Chrome Formula 1 · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 9.6× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Max Verstappen [Refractor] #3 sells for $100 against $10.43 raw: a $89.81 spread, 9.6× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($28.25) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $10.43
- PSA 10
- $100
- PSA 9
- $28.25
- Gem premium
- 9.6×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $100 | +$64.81 | +$39.81 | −$60.19 |
| PSA 9 | $28.25 | −$7.18 | −$32.18 | −$132 |
| PSA 8 | $19.48 | −$15.95 | −$40.95 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $10.43 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% | $46.25 | −$14.18 |
| 50% | $64.25 | +$3.82 |
| 75% | $82.24 | +$21.81 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 45%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $130 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $100 | −$29.76 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $60.00 | −$70.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $60.00 | −$70.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
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Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Max Verstappen [Refractor] #3 — FAQ
Is Max Verstappen [Refractor] #3 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Max Verstappen [Refractor] #3 sells for $100 against $10.43 raw: a $89.81 spread, 9.6× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($28.25) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Max Verstappen [Refractor] #3 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Max Verstappen [Refractor] #3 (Racing Cards 2021 Topps Chrome Formula 1) sells for about $100 versus $10.43 for a raw near-mint copy — a 9.6× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Max Verstappen [Refractor] #3?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $130, ahead of PSA 10 at $100. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Max Verstappen [Refractor] #3 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
What gem rate makes grading Max Verstappen [Refractor] #3 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Max Verstappen [Refractor] #3 breaks even when it gems about 45% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $28.25).
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