![Sam Mele [217/ 1665 Putouts] #22 (Baseball Cards 1954 Bowman) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/jT8AAeSwYxlo5cvr/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Sam Mele [217/ 1665 Putouts] #22 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1954 Bowman · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Sam Mele [217/ 1665 Putouts] #22 sells for $466 against $2.95 raw: a $463 spread, 158× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($424) 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)
- $2.95
- Grade 9.5
- $466
- PSA 9
- $424
- Gem premium
- 158×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $466 | +$438 | +$413 | +$313 |
| PSA 9 | $424 | +$396 | +$371 | +$271 |
| PSA 8 | $150 | +$122 | +$97.30 | −$2.70 |
Net = sale price − $2.95 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% | $434 | +$381 |
| 50% | $445 | +$392 |
| 75% | $455 | +$403 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
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Grading Sam Mele [217/ 1665 Putouts] #22 — FAQ
Is Sam Mele [217/ 1665 Putouts] #22 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Sam Mele [217/ 1665 Putouts] #22 sells for $466 against $2.95 raw: a $463 spread, 158× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($424) 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.
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