Is Willie Mays #261 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1952 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Willie Mays #261 sells for $634,940 against $2,610 raw: a $632,330 spread, 243× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($346,550) 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)
- $2,610
- PSA 10
- $634,940
- PSA 9
- $346,550
- Gem premium
- 243×
- As of
- Aug 11, 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 | $634,940 | +$632,305 | +$632,280 | +$632,180 |
| PSA 9 | $346,550 | +$343,915 | +$343,890 | +$343,790 |
| PSA 8 | $135,725 | +$133,090 | +$133,065 | +$132,965 |
Net = sale price − $2,610 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% | $418,647 | +$415,987 |
| 50% | $490,745 | +$488,085 |
| 75% | $562,842 | +$560,182 |
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 | $825,422 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $634,940 | −$190,482 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $380,964 | −$444,458 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $380,964 | −$444,458 | 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 | $634,940 | $380,964 | $825,422 | $380,964 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $381,205 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $346,550 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $135,725 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $38,847 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1952 Topps cards worth checking
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Grading Willie Mays #261 — FAQ
Is Willie Mays #261 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Willie Mays #261 sells for $634,940 against $2,610 raw: a $632,330 spread, 243× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($346,550) 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 Willie Mays #261 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Willie Mays #261 (Baseball Cards 1952 Topps) sells for about $634,940 versus $2,610 for a raw near-mint copy — a 243× premium as of Aug 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Willie Mays #261?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $825,422, ahead of PSA 10 at $634,940. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Willie Mays #261 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.
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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