![Bill Ripken [Scribbled Out in White] #616 (Baseball Cards 1989 Fleer) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/xEgAAeSw855qtHpQ/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Bill Ripken [Scribbled Out in White] #616 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1989 Fleer · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Bill Ripken [Scribbled Out in White] #616 sells for $1,923 against $538 raw: a $1,385 spread, 3.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,748) 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)
- $538
- Grade 9.5
- $1,923
- PSA 9
- $1,748
- Gem premium
- 3.6×
- 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 | $1,923 | +$1,360 | +$1,335 | +$1,235 |
| PSA 9 | $1,748 | +$1,185 | +$1,160 | +$1,060 |
| PSA 8 | $850 | +$287 | +$262 | +$162 |
Net = sale price − $538 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% | $1,792 | +$1,204 |
| 50% | $1,835 | +$1,248 |
| 75% | $1,879 | +$1,291 |
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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Grading Bill Ripken [Scribbled Out in White] #616 — FAQ
Is Bill Ripken [Scribbled Out in White] #616 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Bill Ripken [Scribbled Out in White] #616 sells for $1,923 against $538 raw: a $1,385 spread, 3.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,748) 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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