Is Cal Ripken Jr. [Pattern 29] #25B 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] #25B sells for $180 against $101 raw: a $79.01 spread, 1.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($164) 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
- $180
- PSA 9
- $164
- Gem premium
- 1.8×
- 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 | $180 | +$54.01 | +$29.01 | −$70.99 |
| PSA 9 | $164 | +$37.54 | +$12.54 | −$87.46 |
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% | $168 | +$16.66 |
| 50% | $172 | +$20.77 |
| 75% | $176 | +$24.89 |
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 Cal Ripken Jr. [Pattern 29] #25B — FAQ
Is Cal Ripken Jr. [Pattern 29] #25B worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Cal Ripken Jr. [Pattern 29] #25B sells for $180 against $101 raw: a $79.01 spread, 1.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($164) 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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