Is Steve Francis [Refractor w/ Coating] #252 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1999 Finest · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Steve Francis [Refractor w/ Coating] #252 sell for $50.00, only $0.00 above the $99.00 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($45.00) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $99.00
- Grade 9.5
- $50.00
- PSA 9
- $45.00
- Gem premium
- 0.5×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $50.00 | −$74.00 | −$99.00 | −$199 |
| PSA 9 | $45.00 | −$79.00 | −$104 | −$204 |
Net = sale price − $99.00 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% | $46.25 | −$103 |
| 50% | $47.50 | −$102 |
| 75% | $48.75 | −$100 |
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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Raw conditions & history →Run your own numbers
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Grading Steve Francis [Refractor w/ Coating] #252 — FAQ
Is Steve Francis [Refractor w/ Coating] #252 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Steve Francis [Refractor w/ Coating] #252 sell for $50.00, only $0.00 above the $99.00 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($45.00) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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