Is Willie McCovey #440 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1969 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Willie McCovey #440 sells for $17,400 against $6.33 raw: a $17,394 spread, 2749× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,096) 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)
- $6.33
- PSA 10
- $17,400
- PSA 9
- $1,096
- Gem premium
- 2749×
- As of
- Jul 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 | $17,400 | +$17,369 | +$17,344 | +$17,244 |
| PSA 9 | $1,096 | +$1,065 | +$1,040 | +$940 |
| PSA 8 | $252 | +$220 | +$195 | +$95.41 |
Net = sale price − $6.33 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% | $5,172 | +$5,116 |
| 50% | $9,248 | +$9,192 |
| 75% | $13,324 | +$13,268 |
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 | $22,620 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $17,400 | −$5,220 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $10,440 | −$12,180 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $10,440 | −$12,180 | 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 | $17,400 | $10,440 | $22,620 | $10,440 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $1,206 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $1,096 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $252 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $160 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1969 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Willie McCovey #440 — FAQ
Is Willie McCovey #440 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Willie McCovey #440 sells for $17,400 against $6.33 raw: a $17,394 spread, 2749× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,096) 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 McCovey #440 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Willie McCovey #440 (Baseball Cards 1969 Topps) sells for about $17,400 versus $6.33 for a raw near-mint copy — a 2749× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Willie McCovey #440?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $22,620, ahead of PSA 10 at $17,400. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Willie McCovey #440 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.
Check my card free