Is Zydrunas Ilgauskas [Atomic Refractor] #R25 worth grading?

Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Bowman's Best Rookie · full price guide →

Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw

A Grade 9.5 Zydrunas Ilgauskas [Atomic Refractor] #R25 sells for $45.00 against $15.37 raw: a $29.63 spread, 2.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($40.68) 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): $15.37
Grade 9.5: $45.00
PSA 9: $40.68
Gem premium: 2.9×
As of: Sep 4, 2026

Break-even by outcome and fee

Zydrunas Ilgauskas [Atomic Refractor] #R25: 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	$45.00	+$4.63	−$20.37	−$120
PSA 9	$40.68	+$0.31	−$24.69	−$125
PSA 8	$14.70	−$25.67	−$50.67	−$151

Net = sale price − $15.37 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?

Zydrunas Ilgauskas [Atomic Refractor] #R25: expected value of submitting by gem probability
Chance it gems	Expected sale	Expected net (standard fee)
25%	$41.76	−$23.61
50%	$42.84	−$22.53
75%	$43.92	−$21.45

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 →

Zydrunas Ilgauskas [Atomic Refractor] #R25 graded prices by company and grade
Grade	Graded
9.5	$45.00
9	$40.68
8	$14.70
7	$6.50

Run your own numbers

Should I pay this?

Asking priceGrading fee

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

Other 1996 Bowman's Best Rookie cards worth checking

Full set checklist →

$Steve Nash [Refractor] #R18 1996 Bowman's Best Rookie card$

Steve Nash [Refractor] #R18

Raw $42.56PSA 10 $1,349

$Kobe Bryant [Refractor] #R23 1996 Bowman's Best Rookie card$

Kobe Bryant [Refractor] #R23

Raw $1,325PSA 10 $22,265

Kobe Bryant #R23

Raw $118PSA 10 $1,722

$Allen Iverson [Refractor] #R1 1996 Bowman's Best Rookie card$

Allen Iverson [Refractor] #R1

Raw $196PSA 10 $2,469

$Allen Iverson [Atomic Refractor] #R1 1996 Bowman's Best Rookie card$

Allen Iverson [Atomic Refractor] #R1

Raw $535PSA 10 $6,000

$Kobe Bryant [Atomic Refractor] #R23 1996 Bowman's Best Rookie card$

Kobe Bryant [Atomic Refractor] #R23