Is Bill Ripken [White Out Vulgarity] #616 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1989 Fleer · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Bill Ripken [White Out Vulgarity] #616 sells for $2,750 against $1,057 raw: a $1,693 spread, 2.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,500) 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)
- $1,057
- Grade 9.5
- $2,750
- PSA 9
- $2,500
- Gem premium
- 2.6×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $2,750 | +$1,668 | +$1,643 | +$1,543 |
| PSA 9 | $2,500 | +$1,418 | +$1,393 | +$1,293 |
| PSA 8 | $1,525 | +$443 | +$418 | +$318 |
Net = sale price − $1,057 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% | $2,563 | +$1,455 |
| 50% | $2,625 | +$1,518 |
| 75% | $2,688 | +$1,580 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $2,750 |
| 9 | $2,500 |
| 8 | $1,525 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1989 Fleer cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Randy Johnson [Marlboro Ad on Scoreboard] #381 1989 Fleer card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/eWMAAeSw0ZZqVapP/s-l500.jpg)
![Bill Ripken [Black Scribble Over Error] #616 1989 Fleer card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PpsAAeSw24RqVh2T/s-l500.jpg)
![Bill Ripken [Black Scribble on Knob] #616 1989 Fleer card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/~0AAAeSwrFJqUzkq/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Bill Ripken [White Out Vulgarity] #616 — FAQ
Is Bill Ripken [White Out Vulgarity] #616 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Bill Ripken [White Out Vulgarity] #616 sells for $2,750 against $1,057 raw: a $1,693 spread, 2.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($2,500) 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.
Is your baseball 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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