Is Willie Mays #5 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1958 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Willie Mays #5 sells for $18,743 against $91.00 raw: a $18,652 spread, 206× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($8,453) 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)
- $91.00
- PSA 10
- $18,743
- PSA 9
- $8,453
- Gem premium
- 206×
- 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 | $18,743 | +$18,627 | +$18,602 | +$18,502 |
| PSA 9 | $8,453 | +$8,337 | +$8,312 | +$8,212 |
| PSA 8 | $7,685 | +$7,569 | +$7,544 | +$7,444 |
Net = sale price − $91.00 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% | $11,025 | +$10,884 |
| 50% | $13,598 | +$13,457 |
| 75% | $16,170 | +$16,029 |
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 | $24,365 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $18,743 | −$5,622 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $11,246 | −$13,119 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $11,246 | −$13,119 | 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 →Swipe the table for the other grading companies →
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1958 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
![Bob Clemente [White] #52 1958 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/XhsAAeSwrFJqUvtH/s-l500.jpg)
![Bob Clemente [Yellow] #52 1958 Topps card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/XFwAAeSwPXpqENYj/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Willie Mays #5 — FAQ
Is Willie Mays #5 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Willie Mays #5 sells for $18,743 against $91.00 raw: a $18,652 spread, 206× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($8,453) 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 #5 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Willie Mays #5 (Baseball Cards 1958 Topps) sells for about $18,743 versus $91.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 206× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Willie Mays #5?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $24,365, ahead of PSA 10 at $18,743. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Willie Mays #5 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.
Best on iPhone & Android
Check your baseball card in the Midpoint app
Scan with your camera to measure centering to the millimeter, get an AI grade with corner and edge close-ups, see what your copy is worth, and track it in your portfolio. Free to start.
