Is Al Nipper #617 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1987 Topps · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Al Nipper #617 sell for $13.00, only $12.09 above the $0.91 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($11.99) 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)
- $0.91
- Grade 9.5
- $13.00
- PSA 9
- $11.99
- Gem premium
- 14×
- As of
- Sep 2, 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 | $13.00 | −$12.91 | −$37.91 | −$138 |
| PSA 9 | $11.99 | −$13.92 | −$38.92 | −$139 |
| PSA 8 | $8.28 | −$17.63 | −$42.63 | −$143 |
Net = sale price − $0.91 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% | $12.24 | −$38.67 |
| 50% | $12.50 | −$38.41 |
| 75% | $12.75 | −$38.16 |
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 Al Nipper #617 — FAQ
Is Al Nipper #617 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Al Nipper #617 sell for $13.00, only $12.09 above the $0.91 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($11.99) 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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