Is Mets Field Leaders [Dark Pale Background] #257 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1973 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Mets Field Leaders [Dark Pale Background] #257 sells for $1,083 against $75.00 raw: a $1,008 spread, 14× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($985) 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)
- $75.00
- Grade 9.5
- $1,083
- PSA 9
- $985
- Gem premium
- 14×
- 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 — Grade 9.5 | $1,083 | +$983 | +$958 | +$858 |
| PSA 9 | $985 | +$885 | +$860 | +$760 |
| PSA 8 | $148 | +$48.33 | +$23.33 | −$76.67 |
Net = sale price − $75.00 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% | $1,009 | +$884 |
| 50% | $1,034 | +$909 |
| 75% | $1,058 | +$933 |
Even a miss (a 9) beats selling raw after the standard fee — the gem rate only decides how much you win by.
Full grade ladder
Raw conditions & history →| Grade | Graded |
|---|---|
| 9.5 | $1,083 |
| 9 | $985 |
| 8 | $148 |
| 7 | $119 |
Run your own numbers
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Grading Mets Field Leaders [Dark Pale Background] #257 — FAQ
Is Mets Field Leaders [Dark Pale Background] #257 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Mets Field Leaders [Dark Pale Background] #257 sells for $1,083 against $75.00 raw: a $1,008 spread, 14× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($985) 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.
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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