Is Gary Payton [Refractor] #M4 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Mystery Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Gary Payton [Refractor] #M4 sells for $156 against $4.47 raw: a $151 spread, 35× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.89) 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)
- $4.47
- PSA 10
- $156
- PSA 9
- $34.89
- Gem premium
- 35×
- 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 | $156 | +$126 | +$101 | +$1.07 |
| PSA 9 | $34.89 | +$5.42 | −$19.58 | −$120 |
| PSA 8 | $15.31 | −$14.16 | −$39.16 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $4.47 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% | $65.05 | +$10.58 |
| 50% | $95.22 | +$40.75 |
| 75% | $125 | +$70.91 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 16%. 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 | $202 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $156 | −$46.46 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $93.00 | −$109 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $93.00 | −$109 | 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 1996 Topps Mystery Finest cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Scottie Pippen [Borderless Refractor] #M1 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/t2YAAeSwzotphT61/s-l500.jpg)
![Dennis Rodman [Refractor] #M7 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/wD0AAeSwi8lqrMW0/s-l500.jpg)
![Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #M12 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/BPoAAeSw-jdqUAz~/s-l500.jpg)
![Anfernee Hardaway [Borderless Refractor] #M3 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/cIwAAeSwYQVqlr58/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Borderless] #M14 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/mjYAAeSwsqlqeynF/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Super Team NBA Finals] #M14 1996 Topps Mystery Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PnMAAeSw5ctqdWBn/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Gary Payton [Refractor] #M4 — FAQ
Is Gary Payton [Refractor] #M4 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Gary Payton [Refractor] #M4 sells for $156 against $4.47 raw: a $151 spread, 35× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.89) 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 Gary Payton [Refractor] #M4 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Gary Payton [Refractor] #M4 (Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Mystery Finest) sells for about $156 versus $4.47 for a raw near-mint copy — a 35× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Gary Payton [Refractor] #M4?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $202, ahead of PSA 10 at $156. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Gary Payton [Refractor] #M4 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 Gary Payton [Refractor] #M4 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Gary Payton [Refractor] #M4 breaks even when it gems about 16% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $34.89).
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.
