Is Mariano Rivera [Devil Rays Inaugural] #8 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1998 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Mariano Rivera [Devil Rays Inaugural] #8 sells for $44.00 against $2.50 raw: a $41.50 spread, 18× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.99) 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)
- $2.50
- Grade 9.5
- $44.00
- PSA 9
- $39.99
- Gem premium
- 18×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $44.00 | +$16.50 | −$8.50 | −$109 |
| PSA 9 | $39.99 | +$12.49 | −$12.51 | −$113 |
| PSA 8 | $22.01 | −$5.49 | −$30.49 | −$130 |
Net = sale price − $2.50 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% | $40.99 | −$11.51 |
| 50% | $42.00 | −$10.50 |
| 75% | $43.00 | −$9.50 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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Grading Mariano Rivera [Devil Rays Inaugural] #8 — FAQ
Is Mariano Rivera [Devil Rays Inaugural] #8 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Mariano Rivera [Devil Rays Inaugural] #8 sells for $44.00 against $2.50 raw: a $41.50 spread, 18× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($39.99) 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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