![Bill Ripken [Black Scribble Over Error] #616 (Baseball Cards 1989 Fleer) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/PpsAAeSw24RqVh2T/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Bill Ripken [Black Scribble Over Error] #616 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1989 Fleer · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Bill Ripken [Black Scribble Over Error] #616 sells for $1,025 against $33.98 raw: a $991 spread, 30× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($103) 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)
- $33.98
- PSA 10
- $1,025
- PSA 9
- $103
- Gem premium
- 30×
- 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 | $1,025 | +$966 | +$941 | +$841 |
| PSA 9 | $103 | +$44.02 | +$19.02 | −$80.98 |
| PSA 8 | $81.63 | +$22.65 | −$2.35 | −$102 |
Net = sale price − $33.98 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% | $334 | +$250 |
| 50% | $564 | +$480 |
| 75% | $795 | +$711 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $1,333 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $1,025 | −$308 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $615 | −$718 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $477 | −$856 | 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 | $1,025 | $615 | $1,333 | $477 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $491 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $103 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $81.63 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $46.00 |
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 on Knob] #616 1989 Fleer card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/~0AAAeSwrFJqUzkq/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Bill Ripken [Black Scribble Over Error] #616 — FAQ
Is Bill Ripken [Black Scribble Over Error] #616 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Bill Ripken [Black Scribble Over Error] #616 sells for $1,025 against $33.98 raw: a $991 spread, 30× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($103) 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 Bill Ripken [Black Scribble Over Error] #616 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Bill Ripken [Black Scribble Over Error] #616 (Baseball Cards 1989 Fleer) sells for about $1,025 versus $33.98 for a raw near-mint copy — a 30× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Bill Ripken [Black Scribble Over Error] #616?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $1,333, ahead of PSA 10 at $1,025. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Bill Ripken [Black Scribble Over Error] #616 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.
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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