Is Willie Mays #49 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1972 O Pee Chee · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Willie Mays #49 sells for $4,197 against $35.17 raw: a $4,162 spread, 119× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,439) 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)
- $35.17
- PSA 10
- $4,197
- PSA 9
- $1,439
- Gem premium
- 119×
- 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 | $4,197 | +$4,137 | +$4,112 | +$4,012 |
| PSA 9 | $1,439 | +$1,379 | +$1,354 | +$1,254 |
| PSA 8 | $375 | +$315 | +$290 | +$190 |
Net = sale price − $35.17 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% | $2,128 | +$2,043 |
| 50% | $2,818 | +$2,733 |
| 75% | $3,507 | +$3,422 |
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 | $5,456 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $4,197 | −$1,259 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $2,518 | −$2,938 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $2,518 | −$2,938 | 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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Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1972 O Pee Chee cards worth checking
Full set checklist →![Willie Mays [In Action] #50 1972 O Pee Chee card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/IHMAAeSwTM9qSu~k/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Willie Mays #49 — FAQ
Is Willie Mays #49 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Willie Mays #49 sells for $4,197 against $35.17 raw: a $4,162 spread, 119× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,439) 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 Mays #49 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Willie Mays #49 (Baseball Cards 1972 O Pee Chee) sells for about $4,197 versus $35.17 for a raw near-mint copy — a 119× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Willie Mays #49?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $5,456, ahead of PSA 10 at $4,197. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Willie Mays #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.
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