![Mike Cuellar [So 987] #49 (Baseball Cards 1971 Kellogg's) — is it worth grading?](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/LtYAAeSw8QJqWGHf/s-l1600.jpg)
Is Mike Cuellar [So 987] #49 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1971 Kellogg's · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Mike Cuellar [So 987] #49 sells for $124 against $7.32 raw: a $117 spread, 17× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($113) 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)
- $7.32
- Grade 9.5
- $124
- PSA 9
- $113
- Gem premium
- 17×
- As of
- Sep 3, 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 | $124 | +$91.68 | +$66.68 | −$33.32 |
| PSA 9 | $113 | +$80.18 | +$55.18 | −$44.82 |
| PSA 8 | $36.00 | +$3.68 | −$21.32 | −$121 |
Net = sale price − $7.32 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% | $115 | +$58.06 |
| 50% | $118 | +$60.93 |
| 75% | $121 | +$63.81 |
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 Mike Cuellar [So 987] #49 — FAQ
Is Mike Cuellar [So 987] #49 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Mike Cuellar [So 987] #49 sells for $124 against $7.32 raw: a $117 spread, 17× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($113) 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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