Is Rick Dempsey #343 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1989 Bowman Tiffany · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Rick Dempsey #343 sells for $55.00 against $1.62 raw: a $53.38 spread, 34× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($49.99) 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)
- $1.62
- Grade 9.5
- $55.00
- PSA 9
- $49.99
- Gem premium
- 34×
- 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 | $55.00 | +$28.38 | +$3.38 | −$96.62 |
| PSA 9 | $49.99 | +$23.37 | −$1.63 | −$102 |
| PSA 8 | $32.00 | +$5.38 | −$19.62 | −$120 |
Net = sale price − $1.62 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% | $51.24 | −$0.38 |
| 50% | $52.50 | +$0.88 |
| 75% | $53.75 | +$2.13 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 33%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1989 Bowman Tiffany cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Rick Dempsey #343 — FAQ
Is Rick Dempsey #343 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Rick Dempsey #343 sells for $55.00 against $1.62 raw: a $53.38 spread, 34× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($49.99) 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 Rick Dempsey #343 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Rick Dempsey #343 breaks even when it gems about 33% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $49.99).
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your baseball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
