Is David Ortiz worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1998 Donruss Signature Millennium Marks · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 David Ortiz sells for $145 against $69.88 raw: a $75.12 spread, 2.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($132) 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)
- $69.88
- Grade 9.5
- $145
- PSA 9
- $132
- Gem premium
- 2.1×
- 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 | $145 | +$50.12 | +$25.12 | −$74.88 |
| PSA 9 | $132 | +$37.12 | +$12.12 | −$87.88 |
| PSA 8 | $120 | +$25.12 | +$0.12 | −$99.88 |
Net = sale price − $69.88 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% | $135 | +$15.37 |
| 50% | $139 | +$18.62 |
| 75% | $142 | +$21.87 |
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 David Ortiz — FAQ
Is David Ortiz worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 David Ortiz sells for $145 against $69.88 raw: a $75.12 spread, 2.1× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($132) 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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