Is Eric Snow Refractor #189 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Topps Chrome · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Eric Snow Refractor #189 sells for $31.00 against $2.99 raw: a $28.01 spread, 10× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($28.00) 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)
- $2.99
- Grade 9.5
- $31.00
- PSA 9
- $28.00
- Gem premium
- 10×
- 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 | $31.00 | +$3.01 | −$21.99 | −$122 |
| PSA 9 | $28.00 | +$0.01 | −$24.99 | −$125 |
| PSA 8 | $25.00 | −$2.99 | −$27.99 | −$128 |
Net = sale price − $2.99 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% | $28.75 | −$24.24 |
| 50% | $29.50 | −$23.49 |
| 75% | $30.25 | −$22.74 |
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 Eric Snow Refractor #189 — FAQ
Is Eric Snow Refractor #189 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Eric Snow Refractor #189 sells for $31.00 against $2.99 raw: a $28.01 spread, 10× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($28.00) 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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