Is Alonzo Mourning [Refractor w/ Coating] #281 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 w/ Coating] #281 sells for $36.00 against $5.28 raw: a $30.72 spread, 6.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($33.00) 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)
- $5.28
- Grade 9.5
- $36.00
- PSA 9
- $33.00
- Gem premium
- 6.8×
- 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 | $36.00 | +$5.72 | −$19.28 | −$119 |
| PSA 9 | $33.00 | +$2.72 | −$22.28 | −$122 |
| PSA 8 | $29.95 | −$0.33 | −$25.33 | −$125 |
Net = sale price − $5.28 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% | $33.75 | −$21.53 |
| 50% | $34.50 | −$20.78 |
| 75% | $35.25 | −$20.03 |
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 Alonzo Mourning [Refractor w/ Coating] #281 — FAQ
Is Alonzo Mourning [Refractor w/ Coating] #281 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Alonzo Mourning [Refractor w/ Coating] #281 sells for $36.00 against $5.28 raw: a $30.72 spread, 6.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($33.00) 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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