![Richard Hamilton [Gold Refractor] #254 (Basketball Cards 1999 Finest) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/5UEAAeSwgW9qkzr2/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Richard Hamilton [Gold Refractor] #254 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1999 Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Richard Hamilton [Gold Refractor] #254 sells for $263 against $121 raw: a $142 spread, 2.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($239) 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)
- $121
- Grade 9.5
- $263
- PSA 9
- $239
- Gem premium
- 2.2×
- 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 | $263 | +$117 | +$92.27 | −$7.73 |
| PSA 9 | $239 | +$93.27 | +$68.27 | −$31.73 |
Net = sale price − $121 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% | $245 | +$74.27 |
| 50% | $251 | +$80.27 |
| 75% | $257 | +$86.27 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading Richard Hamilton [Gold Refractor] #254 — FAQ
Is Richard Hamilton [Gold Refractor] #254 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Richard Hamilton [Gold Refractor] #254 sells for $263 against $121 raw: a $142 spread, 2.2× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($239) 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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