Is Alonzo Mourning [Refractor w Coating] #288 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Alonzo Mourning [Refractor w Coating] #288 sells for $163 against $84.18 raw: a $78.82 spread, 1.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($149) 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)
- $84.18
- Grade 9.5
- $163
- PSA 9
- $149
- Gem premium
- 1.9×
- 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 | $163 | +$53.82 | +$28.82 | −$71.18 |
| PSA 9 | $149 | +$39.32 | +$14.32 | −$85.68 |
| PSA 8 | $4.25 | −$105 | −$130 | −$230 |
Net = sale price − $84.18 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% | $152 | +$17.94 |
| 50% | $156 | +$21.57 |
| 75% | $159 | +$25.19 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading Alonzo Mourning [Refractor w Coating] #288 — FAQ
Is Alonzo Mourning [Refractor w Coating] #288 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Alonzo Mourning [Refractor w Coating] #288 sells for $163 against $84.18 raw: a $78.82 spread, 1.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($149) 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.
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