![Patrick Ewing [Bordered Refractor] #M17 (Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Mystery Finest) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/S34AAeSwpxFqHkRd/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Patrick Ewing [Bordered Refractor] #M17 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Mystery Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Patrick Ewing [Bordered Refractor] #M17 sells for $269 against $8.50 raw: a $260 spread, 32× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($42.83) 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)
- $8.50
- PSA 10
- $269
- PSA 9
- $42.83
- Gem premium
- 32×
- 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 | $269 | +$235 | +$210 | +$110 |
| PSA 9 | $42.83 | +$9.33 | −$15.67 | −$116 |
| PSA 8 | $24.61 | −$8.89 | −$33.89 | −$134 |
Net = sale price − $8.50 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% | $99.33 | +$40.83 |
| 50% | $156 | +$97.33 |
| 75% | $212 | +$154 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 7%. 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 | $349 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $269 | −$80.16 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $161 | −$188 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $161 | −$188 | 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 →
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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 Patrick Ewing [Bordered Refractor] #M17 — FAQ
Is Patrick Ewing [Bordered Refractor] #M17 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Patrick Ewing [Bordered Refractor] #M17 sells for $269 against $8.50 raw: a $260 spread, 32× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($42.83) 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 Patrick Ewing [Bordered Refractor] #M17 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Patrick Ewing [Bordered Refractor] #M17 (Basketball Cards 1996 Topps Mystery Finest) sells for about $269 versus $8.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 32× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Patrick Ewing [Bordered Refractor] #M17?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $349, ahead of PSA 10 at $269. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Patrick Ewing [Bordered Refractor] #M17 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 Patrick Ewing [Bordered Refractor] #M17 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Patrick Ewing [Bordered Refractor] #M17 breaks even when it gems about 7% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $42.83).
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