Is Don Money #49 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1971 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Don Money #49 sells for $637 against $2.00 raw: a $635 spread, 319× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($531) 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)
- $2.00
- PSA 10
- $637
- PSA 9
- $531
- Gem premium
- 319×
- 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 — PSA 10 | $637 | +$610 | +$585 | +$485 |
| PSA 9 | $531 | +$504 | +$479 | +$379 |
| PSA 8 | $126 | +$99.33 | +$74.33 | −$25.67 |
Net = sale price − $2.00 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% | $558 | +$506 |
| 50% | $584 | +$532 |
| 75% | $611 | +$559 |
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 | $828 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $637 | −$191 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $382 | −$446 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $382 | −$446 | 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 1971 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Don Money #49 — FAQ
Is Don Money #49 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Don Money #49 sells for $637 against $2.00 raw: a $635 spread, 319× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($531) 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 Don Money #49 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Don Money #49 (Baseball Cards 1971 Topps) sells for about $637 versus $2.00 for a raw near-mint copy — a 319× premium as of Sep 3, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Don Money #49?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $828, ahead of PSA 10 at $637. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Don Money #49 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.
