Is Manny Mota #299 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1981 Donruss · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Manny Mota #299 sells for $79.00 against $1.50 raw: a $77.50 spread, 53× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($27.81) 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)
- $1.50
- PSA 10
- $79.00
- PSA 9
- $27.81
- Gem premium
- 53×
- 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 | $79.00 | +$52.50 | +$27.50 | −$72.50 |
| PSA 9 | $27.81 | +$1.31 | −$23.69 | −$124 |
| PSA 8 | $12.40 | −$14.10 | −$39.10 | −$139 |
Net = sale price − $1.50 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% | $40.61 | −$10.89 |
| 50% | $53.41 | +$1.91 |
| 75% | $66.20 | +$14.70 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 46%. Centering is the usual reason a clean copy misses — measure it before you decide.
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 | $103 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $79.00 | −$24.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $47.00 | −$56.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $47.00 | −$56.00 | 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 | $79.00 | $47.00 | $103 | $47.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $50.89 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $27.81 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $12.40 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1981 Donruss cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
![Best Hitters [G. Brett, R. Carew] #537 1981 Donruss card](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/n~wAAeSwgUdqZBNH/s-l500.jpg)
Grading Manny Mota #299 — FAQ
Is Manny Mota #299 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Manny Mota #299 sells for $79.00 against $1.50 raw: a $77.50 spread, 53× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($27.81) 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 Manny Mota #299 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Manny Mota #299 (Baseball Cards 1981 Donruss) sells for about $79.00 versus $1.50 for a raw near-mint copy — a 53× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Manny Mota #299?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $103, ahead of PSA 10 at $79.00. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Manny Mota #299 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.
What gem rate makes grading Manny Mota #299 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Manny Mota #299 breaks even when it gems about 46% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $27.81).
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.
Check my card free