Is Willie Mays #49 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1972 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Willie Mays #49 sells for $16,115 against $15.75 raw: a $16,099 spread, 1023× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,242) 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)
- $15.75
- PSA 10
- $16,115
- PSA 9
- $1,242
- Gem premium
- 1023×
- As of
- Jul 11, 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 | $16,115 | +$16,074 | +$16,049 | +$15,949 |
| PSA 9 | $1,242 | +$1,202 | +$1,177 | +$1,077 |
| PSA 8 | $281 | +$240 | +$215 | +$115 |
Net = sale price − $15.75 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% | $4,961 | +$4,895 |
| 50% | $8,679 | +$8,613 |
| 75% | $12,397 | +$12,331 |
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 | $20,950 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $16,115 | −$4,835 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $9,669 | −$11,281 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $9,669 | −$11,281 | 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 →| Grade | PSA | CGC | BGS | SGC | Graded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | $16,115 | $9,669 | $20,950 | $9,669 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $2,184 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $1,242 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $281 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $133 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Willie Mays #49 — FAQ
Is Willie Mays #49 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Willie Mays #49 sells for $16,115 against $15.75 raw: a $16,099 spread, 1023× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($1,242) 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 Topps) sells for about $16,115 versus $15.75 for a raw near-mint copy — a 1023× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Willie Mays #49?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $20,950, ahead of PSA 10 at $16,115. 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.
Is your baseball card centered well enough to grade?
Centering makes or breaks a PSA 10. Scan any card with Midpoint to measure its exact centering, get a grade estimate, and see what your copy is actually worth.
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