Is Willie Mays worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2001 Topps Archives Baseball Bucks · full price guide →
Strong grading candidate — 48× premium in PSA 10
A PSA 10 Willie Mays sells for $47.94 against $1.00 raw: a $46.94 spread, 48× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($13.37) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.00
- PSA 10
- $47.94
- PSA 9
- $13.37
- Gem premium
- 48×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $47.94 | +$21.94 | −$3.06 | −$103 |
| PSA 9 | $13.37 | −$12.63 | −$37.63 | −$138 |
| PSA 8 | $6.78 | −$19.22 | −$44.22 | −$144 |
Net = sale price − $1.00 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% | $22.01 | −$28.99 |
| 50% | $30.65 | −$20.35 |
| 75% | $39.30 | −$11.70 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $62.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $47.94 | −$14.06 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $29.00 | −$33.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $29.00 | −$33.00 | 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.
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Grading Willie Mays — FAQ
Is Willie Mays worth grading?
A PSA 10 Willie Mays sells for $47.94 against $1.00 raw: a $46.94 spread, 48× the ungraded price. A PSA 9 ($13.37) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses the 10 — measure it before you submit.
How much is a PSA 10 Willie Mays worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Willie Mays (Baseball Cards 2001 Topps Archives Baseball Bucks) sells for about $47.94 versus $1.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 48× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Willie Mays?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $62.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $47.94. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Willie Mays 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.
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