Is Joe Mauer #231 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 2018 Topps Chrome Sapphire · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Joe Mauer #231 sells for $38.00 against $6.55 raw: a $31.45 spread, 5.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.95) 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)
- $6.55
- Grade 9.5
- $38.00
- PSA 9
- $34.95
- Gem premium
- 5.8×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $38.00 | +$6.45 | −$18.55 | −$119 |
| PSA 9 | $34.95 | +$3.40 | −$21.60 | −$122 |
Net = sale price − $6.55 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% | $35.71 | −$20.84 |
| 50% | $36.48 | −$20.07 |
| 75% | $37.24 | −$19.31 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $38.00 |
| 9 | $34.95 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Joe Mauer #231 — FAQ
Is Joe Mauer #231 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Joe Mauer #231 sells for $38.00 against $6.55 raw: a $31.45 spread, 5.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($34.95) 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.
Is your baseball 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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