![Alonzo Mourning [Refractor] #166 (Basketball Cards 1997 Finest) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/uLsAAeSwEeNp9R-Y/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Alonzo Mourning [Refractor] #166 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Alonzo Mourning [Refractor] #166 sells for $275 against $21.25 raw: a $254 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($250) 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)
- $21.25
- Grade 9.5
- $275
- PSA 9
- $250
- Gem premium
- 13×
- 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 | $275 | +$229 | +$204 | +$104 |
| PSA 9 | $250 | +$204 | +$179 | +$78.70 |
| PSA 8 | $65.00 | +$18.75 | −$6.25 | −$106 |
Net = sale price − $21.25 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% | $256 | +$185 |
| 50% | $262 | +$191 |
| 75% | $269 | +$197 |
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 →Run your own numbers
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Grading Alonzo Mourning [Refractor] #166 — FAQ
Is Alonzo Mourning [Refractor] #166 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Alonzo Mourning [Refractor] #166 sells for $275 against $21.25 raw: a $254 spread, 13× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($250) 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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