Is Alex Rodriguez #3 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1999 Ultra Diamond Producers · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Alex Rodriguez #3 sells for $116 against $60.65 raw: a $55.35 spread, 1.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($105) 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)
- $60.65
- Grade 9.5
- $116
- PSA 9
- $105
- Gem premium
- 1.9×
- As of
- Sep 4, 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 | $116 | +$30.35 | +$5.35 | −$94.65 |
| PSA 9 | $105 | +$19.35 | −$5.65 | −$106 |
Net = sale price − $60.65 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% | $108 | −$2.90 |
| 50% | $111 | −$0.15 |
| 75% | $113 | +$2.60 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 51%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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Grading Alex Rodriguez #3 — FAQ
Is Alex Rodriguez #3 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Alex Rodriguez #3 sells for $116 against $60.65 raw: a $55.35 spread, 1.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($105) 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.
What gem rate makes grading Alex Rodriguez #3 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Alex Rodriguez #3 breaks even when it gems about 51% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $105).
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