Is Lewis Hamilton [Refractor] #289 worth grading?
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Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Lewis Hamilton [Refractor] #289 sells for $72.00 against $19.00 raw: a $53.00 spread, 3.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($65.25) 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)
- $19.00
- Grade 9.5
- $72.00
- PSA 9
- $65.25
- Gem premium
- 3.8×
- As of
- Sep 4, 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 | $72.00 | +$28.00 | +$3.00 | −$97.00 |
| PSA 9 | $65.25 | +$21.25 | −$3.75 | −$104 |
Net = sale price − $19.00 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% | $66.94 | −$2.06 |
| 50% | $68.63 | −$0.38 |
| 75% | $70.31 | +$1.31 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 56%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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Grading Lewis Hamilton [Refractor] #289 — FAQ
Is Lewis Hamilton [Refractor] #289 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Lewis Hamilton [Refractor] #289 sells for $72.00 against $19.00 raw: a $53.00 spread, 3.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($65.25) 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.
What gem rate makes grading Lewis Hamilton [Refractor] #289 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Lewis Hamilton [Refractor] #289 breaks even when it gems about 56% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $65.25).
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