Is Sam McDowell #16 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1971 Topps Super · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Sam McDowell #16 sells for $3,050 against $7.50 raw: a $3,043 spread, 407× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($91.40) 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)
- $7.50
- PSA 10
- $3,050
- PSA 9
- $91.40
- Gem premium
- 407×
- 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 | $3,050 | +$3,018 | +$2,993 | +$2,893 |
| PSA 9 | $91.40 | +$58.90 | +$33.90 | −$66.10 |
| PSA 8 | $28.60 | −$3.90 | −$28.90 | −$129 |
Net = sale price − $7.50 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% | $831 | +$774 |
| 50% | $1,571 | +$1,513 |
| 75% | $2,310 | +$2,253 |
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 | $3,965 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $3,050 | −$915 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $1,830 | −$2,135 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $1,830 | −$2,135 | 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 Sam McDowell #16 — FAQ
Is Sam McDowell #16 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Sam McDowell #16 sells for $3,050 against $7.50 raw: a $3,043 spread, 407× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($91.40) 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 Sam McDowell #16 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Sam McDowell #16 (Baseball Cards 1971 Topps Super) sells for about $3,050 versus $7.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 407× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Sam McDowell #16?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $3,965, ahead of PSA 10 at $3,050. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Sam McDowell #16 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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