![Bill Ripken [Black Box Over Error] #616 (Baseball Cards 1989 Fleer Glossy) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/qi0AAeSwErFqZ5rE/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Bill Ripken [Black Box Over Error] #616 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1989 Fleer Glossy · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Bill Ripken [Black Box Over Error] #616 sells for $137 against $20.00 raw: a $117 spread, 6.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.00) 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)
- $20.00
- PSA 10
- $137
- PSA 9
- $47.00
- Gem premium
- 6.9×
- As of
- Jul 11, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — PSA 10 | $137 | +$92.39 | +$67.39 | −$32.61 |
| PSA 9 | $47.00 | +$2.00 | −$23.00 | −$123 |
| PSA 8 | $38.75 | −$6.25 | −$31.25 | −$131 |
Net = sale price − $20.00 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% | $69.60 | −$0.40 |
| 50% | $92.19 | +$22.19 |
| 75% | $115 | +$44.79 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 25%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $179 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $137 | −$41.61 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $82.00 | −$97.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $82.00 | −$97.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $137 | $82.00 | $179 | $82.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $135 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $47.00 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $38.75 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $31.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Bill Ripken [Black Box Over Error] #616 — FAQ
Is Bill Ripken [Black Box Over Error] #616 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Bill Ripken [Black Box Over Error] #616 sells for $137 against $20.00 raw: a $117 spread, 6.9× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($47.00) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 Bill Ripken [Black Box Over Error] #616 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Bill Ripken [Black Box Over Error] #616 (Baseball Cards 1989 Fleer Glossy) sells for about $137 versus $20.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 6.9× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Bill Ripken [Black Box Over Error] #616?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $179, ahead of PSA 10 at $137. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Bill Ripken [Black Box Over Error] #616 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
What gem rate makes grading Bill Ripken [Black Box Over Error] #616 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Bill Ripken [Black Box Over Error] #616 breaks even when it gems about 25% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $47.00).
Is your baseball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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