Is Bob Kipper #520 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1989 Upper Deck · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
PSA 10 copies of Bob Kipper #520 sell for $21.53, only $20.35 above the $1.18 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($9.99) 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)
- $1.18
- PSA 10
- $21.53
- PSA 9
- $9.99
- Gem premium
- 18×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $21.53 | −$4.65 | −$29.65 | −$130 |
| PSA 9 | $9.99 | −$16.19 | −$41.19 | −$141 |
Net = sale price − $1.18 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% | $12.88 | −$38.30 |
| 50% | $15.76 | −$35.42 |
| 75% | $18.64 | −$32.53 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $28.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $21.53 | −$6.47 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $13.00 | −$15.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $13.00 | −$15.00 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1989 Upper Deck cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Gary Sheffield [Upside Down] #13 1989 Upper Deck card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/cXUAAeSwU7xqV9Kw/s-l500.jpg)
![Gary Varsho [Mike Bielecki] #321 1989 Upper Deck card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/kMcAAOSw6w5n8BiK/s-l500.jpg)
![Jose Canseco [Blue Eagle] #659 1989 Upper Deck card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/zRAAAeSwEmJqHND3/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Bob Kipper #520 — FAQ
Is Bob Kipper #520 worth grading?
PSA 10 copies of Bob Kipper #520 sell for $21.53, only $20.35 above the $1.18 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($9.99) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
How much is a PSA 10 Bob Kipper #520 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Bob Kipper #520 (Baseball Cards 1989 Upper Deck) sells for about $21.53 versus $1.18 for a raw near-mint copy — a 18× premium as of Sep 2, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Bob Kipper #520?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $28.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $21.53. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Bob Kipper #520 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.
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.
