Is Dock Ellis [Rainbow Foil] #184 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2021 Topps Project 70 · full price guide →
Grading rarely pays for this card
Grade 9.5 copies of Dock Ellis [Rainbow Foil] #184 sell for $207, only $11.13 above the $196 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($188) 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)
- $196
- Grade 9.5
- $207
- PSA 9
- $188
- Gem premium
- 1.1×
- 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 | $207 | −$13.87 | −$38.87 | −$139 |
| PSA 9 | $188 | −$32.80 | −$57.80 | −$158 |
Net = sale price − $196 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% | $193 | −$53.07 |
| 50% | $198 | −$48.34 |
| 75% | $202 | −$43.60 |
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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Should I pay this?
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Grading Dock Ellis [Rainbow Foil] #184 — FAQ
Is Dock Ellis [Rainbow Foil] #184 worth grading?
Grade 9.5 copies of Dock Ellis [Rainbow Foil] #184 sell for $207, only $11.13 above the $196 raw price — less than an economy-tier grading fee. A PSA 9 ($188) sells for less than raw, so anything short of a 10 loses money. Keep it raw unless you are grading for the slab itself.
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