Is Willie Mays #3 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1971 Milk Duds Complete Box · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Willie Mays #3 sells for $1,297 against $190 raw: a $1,107 spread, 6.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,179) 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)
- $190
- Grade 9.5
- $1,297
- PSA 9
- $1,179
- Gem premium
- 6.8×
- 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 | $1,297 | +$1,082 | +$1,057 | +$957 |
| PSA 9 | $1,179 | +$964 | +$939 | +$839 |
| PSA 8 | $601 | +$386 | +$361 | +$261 |
Net = sale price − $190 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% | $1,209 | +$968 |
| 50% | $1,238 | +$998 |
| 75% | $1,268 | +$1,027 |
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 Willie Mays #3 — FAQ
Is Willie Mays #3 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Willie Mays #3 sells for $1,297 against $190 raw: a $1,107 spread, 6.8× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,179) 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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