Is Tony Battie #280 worth grading?
Basketball · Basketball Cards 1997 Finest Embossed · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Tony Battie #280 sells for $110 against $13.12 raw: a $96.88 spread, 8.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($100) 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)
- $13.12
- Grade 9.5
- $110
- PSA 9
- $100
- Gem premium
- 8.4×
- 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 | $110 | +$71.88 | +$46.88 | −$53.12 |
| PSA 9 | $100 | +$61.88 | +$36.88 | −$63.12 |
Net = sale price − $13.12 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% | $103 | +$39.38 |
| 50% | $105 | +$41.88 |
| 75% | $108 | +$44.38 |
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 Tony Battie #280 — FAQ
Is Tony Battie #280 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Tony Battie #280 sells for $110 against $13.12 raw: a $96.88 spread, 8.4× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($100) 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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