Is Cal Ripken Jr. [Refractor w/ Coating] #165 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Finest · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Cal Ripken Jr. [Refractor w/ Coating] #165 sells for $62.00 against $25.24 raw: a $36.76 spread, 2.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($56.09) 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)
- $25.24
- Grade 9.5
- $62.00
- PSA 9
- $56.09
- Gem premium
- 2.5×
- 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 | $62.00 | +$11.76 | −$13.24 | −$113 |
| PSA 9 | $56.09 | +$5.85 | −$19.15 | −$119 |
| PSA 8 | $9.57 | −$40.67 | −$65.67 | −$166 |
Net = sale price − $25.24 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% | $57.57 | −$17.67 |
| 50% | $59.05 | −$16.19 |
| 75% | $60.52 | −$14.72 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 1996 Finest cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Ken Griffey Jr. [w/ Coating] #24 1996 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/I9cAAeSw~i1qua3s/s-l500.jpg)
![Derek Jeter [Refractor] #92 1996 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/mPAAAeSwSUlql6HF/s-l500.jpg)
![Ken Griffey Jr. [Refractor] #24 1996 Finest card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/vXYAAeSwkBNqnG~7/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Cal Ripken Jr. [Refractor w/ Coating] #165 — FAQ
Is Cal Ripken Jr. [Refractor w/ Coating] #165 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Cal Ripken Jr. [Refractor w/ Coating] #165 sells for $62.00 against $25.24 raw: a $36.76 spread, 2.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($56.09) 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.
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.
