![David Robinson [Refractor, w/Coating] #R3 (Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/aqQAAeSwj8FqtIrr/s-l1600.jpg)
Is David Robinson [Refractor, w/Coating] #R3 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 David Robinson [Refractor, w/Coating] #R3 sells for $200 against $7.00 raw: a $193 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($40.00) 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)
- $7.00
- PSA 10
- $200
- PSA 9
- $40.00
- Gem premium
- 29×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $200 | +$168 | +$143 | +$43.00 |
| PSA 9 | $40.00 | +$8.00 | −$17.00 | −$117 |
| PSA 8 | $15.00 | −$17.00 | −$42.00 | −$142 |
Net = sale price − $7.00 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% | $80.00 | +$23.00 |
| 50% | $120 | +$63.00 |
| 75% | $160 | +$103 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 11%. 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 | $260 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $200 | −$60.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $120 | −$140 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $120 | −$140 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
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Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![John Stockton [Refractor] #R11 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/I-gAAeSwur5qD2Fy/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Refractor] #R18 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PksAAeSw3ehqR-2V/s-l500.jpg)
![Shaquille O'Neal [Refractor] #R9 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Av4AAeSwgqhqm5Ux/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [w/Coating] #R1 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/gd8AAeSwZZBqDTOg/s-l500.jpg)
![Kobe Bryant [Refractor, w/Coating] #R18 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/bK0AAeSwGFpqlPXC/s-l500.jpg)
Grading David Robinson [Refractor, w/Coating] #R3 — FAQ
Is David Robinson [Refractor, w/Coating] #R3 worth grading?
A PSA 10 David Robinson [Refractor, w/Coating] #R3 sells for $200 against $7.00 raw: a $193 spread, 29× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($40.00) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 David Robinson [Refractor, w/Coating] #R3 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 David Robinson [Refractor, w/Coating] #R3 (Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty) sells for about $200 versus $7.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 29× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for David Robinson [Refractor, w/Coating] #R3?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $260, ahead of PSA 10 at $200. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does David Robinson [Refractor, w/Coating] #R3 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 David Robinson [Refractor, w/Coating] #R3 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting David Robinson [Refractor, w/Coating] #R3 breaks even when it gems about 11% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $40.00).
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