Is 1971 A.L. Playoffs: Orioles Champs! #222 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1972 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 1971 A.L. Playoffs: Orioles Champs! #222 sells for $20,740 against $3.28 raw: a $20,737 spread, 6323× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($87.79) 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)
- $3.28
- PSA 10
- $20,740
- PSA 9
- $87.79
- Gem premium
- 6323×
- 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 | $20,740 | +$20,712 | +$20,687 | +$20,587 |
| PSA 9 | $87.79 | +$59.51 | +$34.51 | −$65.49 |
| PSA 8 | $41.00 | +$12.72 | −$12.28 | −$112 |
Net = sale price − $3.28 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% | $5,251 | +$5,198 |
| 50% | $10,414 | +$10,361 |
| 75% | $15,577 | +$15,524 |
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 | $26,962 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $20,740 | −$6,222 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $12,444 | −$14,518 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $12,444 | −$14,518 | 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 | $20,740 | $12,444 | $26,962 | $12,444 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $122 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $87.79 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $41.00 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $28.49 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading 1971 A.L. Playoffs: Orioles Champs! #222 — FAQ
Is 1971 A.L. Playoffs: Orioles Champs! #222 worth grading?
A PSA 10 1971 A.L. Playoffs: Orioles Champs! #222 sells for $20,740 against $3.28 raw: a $20,737 spread, 6323× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($87.79) 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 1971 A.L. Playoffs: Orioles Champs! #222 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 1971 A.L. Playoffs: Orioles Champs! #222 (Baseball Cards 1972 Topps) sells for about $20,740 versus $3.28 for a raw near-mint copy — a 6323× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for 1971 A.L. Playoffs: Orioles Champs! #222?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $26,962, ahead of PSA 10 at $20,740. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does 1971 A.L. Playoffs: Orioles Champs! #222 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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