![Gary Payton [Refractor] #172 (Basketball Cards 1997 Finest Embossed) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/6gAAAOSwJQBgYBzt/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Gary Payton [Refractor] #172 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Finest Embossed · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Gary Payton [Refractor] #172 sells for $1,047 against $40.33 raw: a $1,007 spread, 26× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($952) 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)
- $40.33
- Grade 9.5
- $1,047
- PSA 9
- $952
- Gem premium
- 26×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $1,047 | +$982 | +$957 | +$857 |
| PSA 9 | $952 | +$887 | +$862 | +$762 |
| PSA 8 | $865 | +$800 | +$775 | +$675 |
Net = sale price − $40.33 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% | $976 | +$885 |
| 50% | $1000 | +$909 |
| 75% | $1,023 | +$933 |
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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Other 1997 Finest Embossed cards worth checking
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Grading Gary Payton [Refractor] #172 — FAQ
Is Gary Payton [Refractor] #172 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Gary Payton [Refractor] #172 sells for $1,047 against $40.33 raw: a $1,007 spread, 26× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($952) 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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