![Kevin Garnett [Refractor] #131 (Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/wSAAAeSwjHtouKlG/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Kevin Garnett [Refractor] #131 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Kevin Garnett [Refractor] #131 sells for $475 against $229 raw: a $246 spread, 2.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($432) 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)
- $229
- Grade 9.5
- $475
- PSA 9
- $432
- Gem premium
- 2.1×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $475 | +$221 | +$196 | +$96.28 |
| PSA 9 | $432 | +$179 | +$154 | +$53.53 |
| PSA 8 | $200 | −$53.39 | −$78.39 | −$178 |
Net = sale price − $229 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% | $443 | +$164 |
| 50% | $454 | +$175 |
| 75% | $464 | +$186 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $475 |
| 9 | $432 |
| 8 | $200 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1996 Topps Chrome cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Vitaly Potapenko [Refractor] #172 1996 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/lBMAAeSwGgJqD02C/s-l500.jpg)
![Chicago Bulls 72 Wins [Refractor] #72 1996 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/ds4AAeSw1Hpp8XAG/s-l500.jpg)
![Allen Iverson [Refractor] #171 1996 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/qPAAAeSwGqVqPpO~/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Refractor] #139 1996 Topps Chrome card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/5zcAAeSwQhRqOqfn/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Kevin Garnett [Refractor] #131 — FAQ
Is Kevin Garnett [Refractor] #131 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Kevin Garnett [Refractor] #131 sells for $475 against $229 raw: a $246 spread, 2.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($432) 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.
Is your basketball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
Check my card free