Is Rick Burleson #225 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1981 Fleer · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Rick Burleson #225 sell for $22.00, only $20.71 above the $1.29 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($19.99) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.29
- Grade 9.5
- $22.00
- PSA 9
- $19.99
- Gem premium
- 17×
- 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 | $22.00 | −$4.29 | −$29.29 | −$129 |
| PSA 9 | $19.99 | −$6.30 | −$31.30 | −$131 |
Net = sale price − $1.29 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% | $20.49 | −$30.80 |
| 50% | $20.99 | −$30.30 |
| 75% | $21.50 | −$29.79 |
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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Grading Rick Burleson #225 — FAQ
Is Rick Burleson #225 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Rick Burleson #225 sell for $22.00, only $20.71 above the $1.29 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($19.99) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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