Is Charles Barkley [w/Coating] #R13 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Charles Barkley [w/Coating] #R13 sell for $26.00, only $18.75 above the $7.25 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($23.20) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $7.25
- Grade 9.5
- $26.00
- PSA 9
- $23.20
- Gem premium
- 3.6×
- 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 | $26.00 | −$6.25 | −$31.25 | −$131 |
| PSA 9 | $23.20 | −$9.05 | −$34.05 | −$134 |
Net = sale price − $7.25 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% | $23.90 | −$33.35 |
| 50% | $24.60 | −$32.65 |
| 75% | $25.30 | −$31.95 |
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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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
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![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 [w/Coating] #R13 — FAQ
Is Charles Barkley [w/Coating] #R13 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Charles Barkley [w/Coating] #R13 sell for $26.00, only $18.75 above the $7.25 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($23.20) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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