Is Cal Ripken Jr [Pattern 29] #25A worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1999 Topps Tek Gold · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Cal Ripken Jr [Pattern 29] #25A sells for $248 against $101 raw: a $147 spread, 2.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($225) 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)
- $101
- Grade 9.5
- $248
- PSA 9
- $225
- 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 | $248 | +$122 | +$97.01 | −$2.99 |
| PSA 9 | $225 | +$99.01 | +$74.01 | −$25.99 |
| PSA 8 | $117 | −$8.70 | −$33.70 | −$134 |
Net = sale price − $101 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% | $231 | +$79.76 |
| 50% | $237 | +$85.51 |
| 75% | $242 | +$91.26 |
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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Full set checklist →Grading Cal Ripken Jr [Pattern 29] #25A — FAQ
Is Cal Ripken Jr [Pattern 29] #25A worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Cal Ripken Jr [Pattern 29] #25A sells for $248 against $101 raw: a $147 spread, 2.5× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($225) 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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