![Hakeem Olajuwon [Refractor] #23 (Basketball Cards 1997 Topps Chrome Season's Best) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/IF0AAeSw1KlqWvMZ/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Hakeem Olajuwon [Refractor] #23 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Topps Chrome Season's Best · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon [Refractor] #23 sells for $178 against $10.16 raw: a $167 spread, 17× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.64) 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)
- $10.16
- PSA 10
- $178
- PSA 9
- $39.64
- Gem premium
- 17×
- As of
- Jul 11, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — PSA 10 | $178 | +$142 | +$117 | +$17.34 |
| PSA 9 | $39.64 | +$4.48 | −$20.52 | −$121 |
| PSA 8 | $9.99 | −$25.17 | −$50.17 | −$150 |
Net = sale price − $10.16 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% | $74.11 | +$13.95 |
| 50% | $109 | +$48.41 |
| 75% | $143 | +$82.88 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 15%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $231 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $178 | −$53.50 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $107 | −$124 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $107 | −$124 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $178 | $107 | $231 | $107 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $90.62 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $39.64 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $9.99 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $8.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1997 Topps Chrome Season's Best cards worth checking
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![Allen Iverson [Refractor] #26 1997 Topps Chrome Season's Best card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Y8MAAeSwzoRpFPid/s-l500.jpg)
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Grading Hakeem Olajuwon [Refractor] #23 — FAQ
Is Hakeem Olajuwon [Refractor] #23 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon [Refractor] #23 sells for $178 against $10.16 raw: a $167 spread, 17× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.64) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon [Refractor] #23 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Hakeem Olajuwon [Refractor] #23 (Basketball Cards 1997 Topps Chrome Season's Best) sells for about $178 versus $10.16 for a raw near-mint copy — a 17× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Hakeem Olajuwon [Refractor] #23?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $231, ahead of PSA 10 at $178. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Hakeem Olajuwon [Refractor] #23 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
What gem rate makes grading Hakeem Olajuwon [Refractor] #23 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Hakeem Olajuwon [Refractor] #23 breaks even when it gems about 15% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $39.64).
Is your basketball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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