![Bill Ripken [Black Scribble on Knob] #616 (Baseball Cards 1989 Fleer) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/xEgAAeSw855qtHpQ/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Bill Ripken [Black Scribble on Knob] #616 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1989 Fleer · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Bill Ripken [Black Scribble on Knob] #616 sells for $497 against $14.95 raw: a $482 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($91.05) 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)
- $14.95
- PSA 10
- $497
- PSA 9
- $91.05
- Gem premium
- 33×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $497 | +$457 | +$432 | +$332 |
| PSA 9 | $91.05 | +$51.10 | +$26.10 | −$73.90 |
| PSA 8 | $60.58 | +$20.63 | −$4.37 | −$104 |
Net = sale price − $14.95 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% | $193 | +$128 |
| 50% | $294 | +$229 |
| 75% | $396 | +$331 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $646 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $497 | −$149 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $298 | −$348 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $250 | −$396 | 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.
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Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading Bill Ripken [Black Scribble on Knob] #616 — FAQ
Is Bill Ripken [Black Scribble on Knob] #616 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Bill Ripken [Black Scribble on Knob] #616 sells for $497 against $14.95 raw: a $482 spread, 33× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($91.05) 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 Scribble on Knob] #616 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Bill Ripken [Black Scribble on Knob] #616 (Baseball Cards 1989 Fleer) sells for about $497 versus $14.95 for a raw near-mint copy — a 33× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Bill Ripken [Black Scribble on Knob] #616?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $646, ahead of PSA 10 at $497. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Bill Ripken [Black Scribble on Knob] #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.
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