Is John Mahaffey #15 worth grading?
Golf · Golf Cards 1981 Donruss · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 John Mahaffey #15 sells for $156 against $1.64 raw: a $155 spread, 95× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.56) 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)
- $1.64
- PSA 10
- $156
- PSA 9
- $29.56
- Gem premium
- 95×
- As of
- Aug 16, 2026
Break-even by outcome and fee
| If it comes back… | Sells for | Economy / bulk (~$25.00) | Standard (~$50.00) | Express (~$150) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gem — PSA 10 | $156 | +$130 | +$105 | +$4.53 |
| PSA 9 | $29.56 | +$2.92 | −$22.08 | −$122 |
| PSA 8 | $9.50 | −$17.14 | −$42.14 | −$142 |
Net = sale price − $1.64 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% | $61.21 | +$9.57 |
| 50% | $92.86 | +$41.22 |
| 75% | $125 | +$72.88 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 17%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
Which grader pays the most — and what a 10 takes
All centering standards →| Grader | 10 sells for | vs best | Front centering for a 10 | Back |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BGS 10 | $203 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $156 | −$46.83 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $94.00 | −$109 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $94.00 | −$109 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
Tolerances are each company's published centering standard for its top grade; surface, corners and edges must also be clean. Centering is the one you can measure yourself before you pay.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $156 | $94.00 | $203 | $94.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $53.94 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $29.56 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $9.50 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $8.00 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
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Grading John Mahaffey #15 — FAQ
Is John Mahaffey #15 worth grading?
A PSA 10 John Mahaffey #15 sells for $156 against $1.64 raw: a $155 spread, 95× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($29.56) 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.
How much is a PSA 10 John Mahaffey #15 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 John Mahaffey #15 (Golf Cards 1981 Donruss) sells for about $156 versus $1.64 for a raw near-mint copy — a 95× premium as of Aug 16, 2026.
Which grading company is best for John Mahaffey #15?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $203, ahead of PSA 10 at $156. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does John Mahaffey #15 need for a BGS 10?
BGS publishes 55/45 front and 70/30 back centering as the tolerance for a 10 (Gem Mint). Off-center copies are capped below the top grade regardless of surface — measure yours before paying the fee.
What gem rate makes grading John Mahaffey #15 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting John Mahaffey #15 breaks even when it gems about 17% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $29.56).
Is your golf card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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