Is Victor Wembanyama [Checkerboard Refractor] #197 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 2023 Topps Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Victor Wembanyama [Checkerboard Refractor] #197 sells for $243 against $66.56 raw: a $176 spread, 3.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($105) 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)
- $66.56
- PSA 10
- $243
- PSA 9
- $105
- Gem premium
- 3.6×
- 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 | $243 | +$151 | +$126 | +$25.94 |
| PSA 9 | $105 | +$12.94 | −$12.06 | −$112 |
| PSA 8 | $28.99 | −$62.57 | −$87.57 | −$188 |
Net = sale price − $66.56 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% | $139 | +$22.44 |
| 50% | $174 | +$56.94 |
| 75% | $208 | +$91.44 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 9%. 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 | $315 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $243 | −$72.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $55.00 | −$260 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $49.95 | −$265 | 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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Grading Victor Wembanyama [Checkerboard Refractor] #197 — FAQ
Is Victor Wembanyama [Checkerboard Refractor] #197 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Victor Wembanyama [Checkerboard Refractor] #197 sells for $243 against $66.56 raw: a $176 spread, 3.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($105) 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 Victor Wembanyama [Checkerboard Refractor] #197 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Victor Wembanyama [Checkerboard Refractor] #197 (Basketball Cards 2023 Topps Finest) sells for about $243 versus $66.56 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3.6× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Victor Wembanyama [Checkerboard Refractor] #197?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $315, ahead of PSA 10 at $243. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Victor Wembanyama [Checkerboard Refractor] #197 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 Victor Wembanyama [Checkerboard Refractor] #197 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Victor Wembanyama [Checkerboard Refractor] #197 breaks even when it gems about 9% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $105).
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