Is Mike Schmidt [Batting] #5 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1981 Fleer · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A PSA 10 Mike Schmidt [Batting] #5 sells for $68.51 against $1.99 raw: a $66.52 spread, 34× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($27.99) 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)
- $1.99
- PSA 10
- $68.51
- PSA 9
- $27.99
- Gem premium
- 34×
- 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 | $68.51 | +$41.52 | +$16.52 | −$83.48 |
| PSA 9 | $27.99 | +$1.00 | −$24.00 | −$124 |
| PSA 8 | $11.87 | −$15.12 | −$40.12 | −$140 |
Net = sale price − $1.99 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% | $38.12 | −$13.87 |
| 50% | $48.25 | −$3.74 |
| 75% | $58.38 | +$6.39 |
Break-even gem rate at the standard fee: about 59%. 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 | $89.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $68.51 | −$20.49 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $41.00 | −$48.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $33.97 | −$55.03 | 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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Grading Mike Schmidt [Batting] #5 — FAQ
Is Mike Schmidt [Batting] #5 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Mike Schmidt [Batting] #5 sells for $68.51 against $1.99 raw: a $66.52 spread, 34× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($27.99) 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 Mike Schmidt [Batting] #5 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Mike Schmidt [Batting] #5 (Baseball Cards 1981 Fleer) sells for about $68.51 versus $1.99 for a raw near-mint copy — a 34× premium as of Sep 4, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Mike Schmidt [Batting] #5?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $89.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $68.51. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Mike Schmidt [Batting] #5 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 Mike Schmidt [Batting] #5 break even?
At a standard ~$50 fee, submitting Mike Schmidt [Batting] #5 breaks even when it gems about 59% of the time (a miss assumed to sell at the PSA 9 price of $27.99).
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