Is Charles Barkley [Refractor] #R13 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Charles Barkley [Refractor] #R13 sells for $165 against $51.44 raw: a $113 spread, 3.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($147) 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)
- $51.44
- PSA 10
- $165
- PSA 9
- $147
- Gem premium
- 3.2×
- 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 | $165 | +$88.44 | +$63.44 | −$36.56 |
| PSA 9 | $147 | +$70.81 | +$45.81 | −$54.19 |
| PSA 8 | $36.00 | −$40.44 | −$65.44 | −$165 |
Net = sale price − $51.44 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% | $152 | +$50.22 |
| 50% | $156 | +$54.63 |
| 75% | $160 | +$59.03 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $214 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $165 | −$49.12 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $99.00 | −$115 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $99.00 | −$115 | 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.
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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 Charles Barkley [Refractor] #R13 — FAQ
Is Charles Barkley [Refractor] #R13 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Charles Barkley [Refractor] #R13 sells for $165 against $51.44 raw: a $113 spread, 3.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($147) 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 Charles Barkley [Refractor] #R13 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Charles Barkley [Refractor] #R13 (Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty) sells for about $165 versus $51.44 for a raw near-mint copy — a 3.2× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Charles Barkley [Refractor] #R13?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $214, ahead of PSA 10 at $165. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Charles Barkley [Refractor] #R13 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.
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