Is Willie Mays #7 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1955 Red Man Tobacco · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Willie Mays #7 sells for $41,512 against $191 raw: a $41,321 spread, 218× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($6,223) 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)
- $191
- PSA 10
- $41,512
- PSA 9
- $6,223
- Gem premium
- 218×
- 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 | $41,512 | +$41,296 | +$41,271 | +$41,171 |
| PSA 9 | $6,223 | +$6,007 | +$5,982 | +$5,882 |
| PSA 8 | $5,555 | +$5,339 | +$5,314 | +$5,214 |
Net = sale price − $191 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% | $15,045 | +$14,804 |
| 50% | $23,867 | +$23,627 |
| 75% | $32,690 | +$32,449 |
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 | $53,965 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $41,512 | −$12,453 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $24,907 | −$29,058 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $24,907 | −$29,058 | 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 Willie Mays #7 — FAQ
Is Willie Mays #7 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Willie Mays #7 sells for $41,512 against $191 raw: a $41,321 spread, 218× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($6,223) 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 #7 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Willie Mays #7 (Baseball Cards 1955 Red Man Tobacco) sells for about $41,512 versus $191 for a raw near-mint copy — a 218× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Willie Mays #7?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $53,965, ahead of PSA 10 at $41,512. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Willie Mays #7 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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