![John Paxson [Refractor] #38 (Basketball Cards 1993 Finest) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/KE4AAeSwe5lp-P~U/s-l1600.jpg)
Is John Paxson [Refractor] #38 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1993 Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 John Paxson [Refractor] #38 sells for $118 against $7.18 raw: a $111 spread, 16× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($79.00) 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)
- $7.18
- PSA 10
- $118
- PSA 9
- $79.00
- Gem premium
- 16×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $118 | +$85.72 | +$60.72 | −$39.28 |
| PSA 9 | $79.00 | +$46.82 | +$21.82 | −$78.18 |
| PSA 8 | $72.00 | +$39.82 | +$14.82 | −$85.18 |
Net = sale price − $7.18 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% | $88.72 | +$31.54 |
| 50% | $98.45 | +$41.27 |
| 75% | $108 | +$51.00 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $153 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $118 | −$35.10 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $71.00 | −$82.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $71.00 | −$82.00 | 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.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1993 Finest cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Hakeem Olajuwon [Refractor] #76 1993 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/DIYAAeSwPvJqUw3E/s-l500.jpg)
![Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #3 1993 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/-M8AAeSw-4NqUugt/s-l500.jpg)
![Chris Webber [Refractor] #212 1993 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/3FkAAeSw50hqS6pR/s-l500.jpg)
![Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #99 1993 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/XfYAAeSwT55qVAhC/s-l500.jpg)
Grading John Paxson [Refractor] #38 — FAQ
Is John Paxson [Refractor] #38 worth grading?
A PSA 10 John Paxson [Refractor] #38 sells for $118 against $7.18 raw: a $111 spread, 16× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($79.00) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 John Paxson [Refractor] #38 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 John Paxson [Refractor] #38 (Basketball Cards 1993 Finest) sells for about $118 versus $7.18 for a raw near-mint copy — a 16× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for John Paxson [Refractor] #38?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $153, ahead of PSA 10 at $118. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does John Paxson [Refractor] #38 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.
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your basketball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.