![Alex Rodriguez [Mirror Red] #6 (Baseball Cards 1996 Select Certified) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/~eMAAOSw34RhQVr5/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Alex Rodriguez [Mirror Red] #6 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1996 Select Certified · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Alex Rodriguez [Mirror Red] #6 sells for $518 against $151 raw: a $367 spread, 3.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($471) 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)
- $151
- Grade 9.5
- $518
- PSA 9
- $471
- Gem premium
- 3.4×
- 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 | $518 | +$342 | +$317 | +$217 |
| PSA 9 | $471 | +$295 | +$270 | +$170 |
| PSA 8 | $428 | +$252 | +$227 | +$127 |
Net = sale price − $151 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% | $483 | +$281 |
| 50% | $495 | +$293 |
| 75% | $506 | +$305 |
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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Other 1996 Select Certified cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Alex Rodriguez [Mirror Gold] #6 1996 Select Certified card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/wDQAAeSw7OFqna4O/s-l500.jpg)
![Randy Johnson [Mirror Gold] #17 1996 Select Certified card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/MWsAAOSwlXlnBdnV/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Alex Rodriguez [Mirror Red] #6 — FAQ
Is Alex Rodriguez [Mirror Red] #6 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Alex Rodriguez [Mirror Red] #6 sells for $518 against $151 raw: a $367 spread, 3.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($471) 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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