Is Al Thornton [Refractor] #41 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2009 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Al Thornton [Refractor] #41 sell for $28.00, only $24.50 above the $3.50 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($25.08) 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)
- $3.50
- Grade 9.5
- $28.00
- PSA 9
- $25.08
- Gem premium
- 8.0×
- As of
- Sep 2, 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 | $28.00 | −$0.50 | −$25.50 | −$126 |
| PSA 9 | $25.08 | −$3.42 | −$28.42 | −$128 |
Net = sale price − $3.50 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% | $25.81 | −$27.69 |
| 50% | $26.54 | −$26.96 |
| 75% | $27.27 | −$26.23 |
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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Grading Al Thornton [Refractor] #41 — FAQ
Is Al Thornton [Refractor] #41 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Al Thornton [Refractor] #41 sell for $28.00, only $24.50 above the $3.50 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($25.08) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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