Is Willie Montanez #4 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1978 Topps Zest Soap · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Willie Montanez #4 sells for $48.00 against $8.52 raw: a $39.48 spread, 5.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($44.00) 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)
- $8.52
- Grade 9.5
- $48.00
- PSA 9
- $44.00
- Gem premium
- 5.6×
- 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 | $48.00 | +$14.48 | −$10.52 | −$111 |
| PSA 9 | $44.00 | +$10.48 | −$14.52 | −$115 |
| PSA 8 | $39.99 | +$6.47 | −$18.53 | −$119 |
Net = sale price − $8.52 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% | $45.00 | −$13.52 |
| 50% | $46.00 | −$12.52 |
| 75% | $47.00 | −$11.52 |
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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Full set checklist →Grading Willie Montanez #4 — FAQ
Is Willie Montanez #4 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Willie Montanez #4 sells for $48.00 against $8.52 raw: a $39.48 spread, 5.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($44.00) 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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