Is Willie Mays #244 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1953 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Willie Mays #244 sells for $344,744 against $1,176 raw: a $343,567 spread, 293× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($53,680) 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)
- $1,176
- PSA 10
- $344,744
- PSA 9
- $53,680
- Gem premium
- 293×
- As of
- Aug 9, 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 | $344,744 | +$343,542 | +$343,517 | +$343,417 |
| PSA 9 | $53,680 | +$52,479 | +$52,454 | +$52,354 |
| PSA 8 | $48,800 | +$47,599 | +$47,574 | +$47,474 |
Net = sale price − $1,176 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% | $126,446 | +$125,220 |
| 50% | $199,212 | +$197,985 |
| 75% | $271,978 | +$270,751 |
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 | $448,167 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $344,744 | −$103,423 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $206,846 | −$241,321 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $206,846 | −$241,321 | 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 | $344,744 | $206,846 | $448,167 | $206,846 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $94,286 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $53,680 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $48,800 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $26,840 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Willie Mays #244 — FAQ
Is Willie Mays #244 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Willie Mays #244 sells for $344,744 against $1,176 raw: a $343,567 spread, 293× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($53,680) 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 #244 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Willie Mays #244 (Baseball Cards 1953 Topps) sells for about $344,744 versus $1,176 for a raw near-mint copy — a 293× premium as of Aug 9, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Willie Mays #244?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $448,167, ahead of PSA 10 at $344,744. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Willie Mays #244 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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