Is Charles Barkley [Refractor, w/Coating] #R13 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Charles Barkley [Refractor, w/Coating] #R13 sells for $81.00 against $40.50 raw: a $40.50 spread, 2.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($74.04) 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)
- $40.50
- Grade 9.5
- $81.00
- PSA 9
- $74.04
- Gem premium
- 2.0×
- 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 | $81.00 | +$15.50 | −$9.50 | −$110 |
| PSA 9 | $74.04 | +$8.54 | −$16.46 | −$116 |
| PSA 8 | $45.00 | −$20.50 | −$45.50 | −$146 |
Net = sale price − $40.50 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% | $75.78 | −$14.72 |
| 50% | $77.52 | −$12.98 |
| 75% | $79.26 | −$11.24 |
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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![Michael Jordan [w/Coating] #R1 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/gd8AAeSwZZBqDTOg/s-l500.jpg)
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Grading Charles Barkley [Refractor, w/Coating] #R13 — FAQ
Is Charles Barkley [Refractor, w/Coating] #R13 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Charles Barkley [Refractor, w/Coating] #R13 sells for $81.00 against $40.50 raw: a $40.50 spread, 2.0× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($74.04) 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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