![Dikembe Mutombo [Refractor] #R14 (Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/FBUAAeSwpjdqT~BR/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Dikembe Mutombo [Refractor] #R14 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Dikembe Mutombo [Refractor] #R14 sells for $175 against $16.63 raw: a $158 spread, 11× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($65.50) 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)
- $16.63
- PSA 10
- $175
- PSA 9
- $65.50
- Gem premium
- 11×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $175 | +$133 | +$108 | +$8.37 |
| PSA 9 | $65.50 | +$23.87 | −$1.13 | −$101 |
| PSA 8 | $22.50 | −$19.13 | −$44.13 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $16.63 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% | $92.88 | +$26.25 |
| 50% | $120 | +$53.62 |
| 75% | $148 | +$81.00 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 1%. 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 | $228 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $175 | −$53.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $105 | −$123 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $105 | −$123 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $175 | $105 | $228 | $105 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $121 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $65.50 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $22.50 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $22.50 |
Run your own numbers
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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![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)
![Michael Jordan [w/Coating] #R1 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/gd8AAeSwZZBqDTOg/s-l500.jpg)
![Michael Jordan [Refractor] #R1 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/Y9gAAeSwws5qU8wB/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Dikembe Mutombo [Refractor] #R14 — FAQ
Is Dikembe Mutombo [Refractor] #R14 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Dikembe Mutombo [Refractor] #R14 sells for $175 against $16.63 raw: a $158 spread, 11× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($65.50) 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 Dikembe Mutombo [Refractor] #R14 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Dikembe Mutombo [Refractor] #R14 (Basketball Cards 1998 Topps Roundball Royalty) sells for about $175 versus $16.63 for a raw near-mint copy — a 11× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Dikembe Mutombo [Refractor] #R14?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $228, ahead of PSA 10 at $175. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Dikembe Mutombo [Refractor] #R14 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 Dikembe Mutombo [Refractor] #R14 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Dikembe Mutombo [Refractor] #R14 breaks even when it gems about 1% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $65.50).
Is your basketball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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