Is Cal Ripken Jr. #159 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1986 Topps Stickers · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Cal Ripken Jr. #159 sells for $182 against $1.52 raw: a $180 spread, 120× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($165) 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)
- $1.52
- Grade 9.5
- $182
- PSA 9
- $165
- Gem premium
- 120×
- 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 | $182 | +$155 | +$130 | +$30.48 |
| PSA 9 | $165 | +$138 | +$113 | +$13.48 |
| PSA 8 | $150 | +$123 | +$98.47 | −$1.53 |
Net = sale price − $1.52 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% | $169 | +$118 |
| 50% | $174 | +$122 |
| 75% | $178 | +$126 |
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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Full set checklist →Grading Cal Ripken Jr. #159 — FAQ
Is Cal Ripken Jr. #159 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Cal Ripken Jr. #159 sells for $182 against $1.52 raw: a $180 spread, 120× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($165) 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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