Is Mel Ott #88 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1940 Play Ball · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Mel Ott #88 sells for $52,887 against $153 raw: a $52,734 spread, 345× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($7,883) 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)
- $153
- PSA 10
- $52,887
- PSA 9
- $7,883
- Gem premium
- 345×
- 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 | $52,887 | +$52,709 | +$52,684 | +$52,584 |
| PSA 9 | $7,883 | +$7,705 | +$7,680 | +$7,580 |
| PSA 8 | $2,960 | +$2,782 | +$2,757 | +$2,657 |
Net = sale price − $153 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% | $19,134 | +$18,931 |
| 50% | $30,385 | +$30,182 |
| 75% | $41,636 | +$41,433 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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 | $68,753 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $52,887 | −$15,866 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $31,732 | −$37,021 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $31,732 | −$37,021 | 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 Mel Ott #88 — FAQ
Is Mel Ott #88 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Mel Ott #88 sells for $52,887 against $153 raw: a $52,734 spread, 345× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($7,883) 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 Mel Ott #88 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Mel Ott #88 (Baseball Cards 1940 Play Ball) sells for about $52,887 versus $153 for a raw near-mint copy — a 345× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Mel Ott #88?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $68,753, ahead of PSA 10 at $52,887. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Mel Ott #88 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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