Is Gary Payton [Refractor] #172 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Gary Payton [Refractor] #172 sells for $165 against $38.74 raw: a $126 spread, 4.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($150) 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)
- $38.74
- Grade 9.5
- $165
- PSA 9
- $150
- Gem premium
- 4.3×
- 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 | $165 | +$101 | +$76.26 | −$23.74 |
| PSA 9 | $150 | +$86.26 | +$61.26 | −$38.74 |
| PSA 8 | $68.78 | +$5.04 | −$19.96 | −$120 |
Net = sale price − $38.74 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% | $154 | +$65.01 |
| 50% | $158 | +$68.76 |
| 75% | $161 | +$72.51 |
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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Grading Gary Payton [Refractor] #172 — FAQ
Is Gary Payton [Refractor] #172 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Gary Payton [Refractor] #172 sells for $165 against $38.74 raw: a $126 spread, 4.3× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($150) 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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