Is Gary Payton [Refractor w/ Coating] #172 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Finest · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Gary Payton [Refractor w/ Coating] #172 sell for $90.00, only $9.59 above the $80.41 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($82.01) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $80.41
- Grade 9.5
- $90.00
- PSA 9
- $82.01
- Gem premium
- 1.1×
- 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 | $90.00 | −$15.41 | −$40.41 | −$140 |
| PSA 9 | $82.01 | −$23.40 | −$48.40 | −$148 |
| PSA 8 | $81.01 | −$24.40 | −$49.40 | −$149 |
Net = sale price − $80.41 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% | $84.01 | −$46.40 |
| 50% | $86.00 | −$44.41 |
| 75% | $88.00 | −$42.41 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Gary Payton [Refractor w/ Coating] #172 — FAQ
Is Gary Payton [Refractor w/ Coating] #172 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Gary Payton [Refractor w/ Coating] #172 sell for $90.00, only $9.59 above the $80.41 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($82.01) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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