Is Alex Rodriguez #AR worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1998 SP Authentic Chirography · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Alex Rodriguez #AR sell for $183, only $11.32 above the $172 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($166) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
- Raw (NM)
- $172
- Grade 9.5
- $183
- PSA 9
- $166
- Gem premium
- 1.1×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $183 | −$13.68 | −$38.68 | −$139 |
| PSA 9 | $166 | −$30.43 | −$55.43 | −$155 |
| PSA 8 | $85.00 | −$112 | −$137 | −$237 |
Net = sale price − $172 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% | $170 | −$51.24 |
| 50% | $175 | −$47.06 |
| 75% | $179 | −$42.87 |
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 →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $183 |
| 9 | $166 |
| 8 | $85.00 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Alex Rodriguez #AR — FAQ
Is Alex Rodriguez #AR worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Alex Rodriguez #AR sell for $183, only $11.32 above the $172 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($166) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
Is your baseball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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