Is Don Mattingly #53 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1986 Donruss Highlights · full price guide →
Worth grading only if it gems
A PSA 10 Don Mattingly #53 brings $38.32 versus $1.47 raw — a $36.85 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($12.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
- Raw (NM)
- $1.47
- PSA 10
- $38.32
- PSA 9
- $12.50
- Gem premium
- 26×
- 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 | $38.32 | +$11.85 | −$13.15 | −$113 |
| PSA 9 | $12.50 | −$13.97 | −$38.97 | −$139 |
| PSA 8 | $6.80 | −$19.67 | −$44.67 | −$145 |
Net = sale price − $1.47 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% | $18.95 | −$32.52 |
| 50% | $25.41 | −$26.06 |
| 75% | $31.87 | −$19.60 |
At the standard fee this submission does not break even at any realistic gem rate unless the miss lands above the 9 price.
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 | $50.00 | best | 55/45 | 70/30 |
| PSA 10 | $38.32 | −$11.68 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| CGC 10 | $23.00 | −$27.00 | 55/45 | 75/25 |
| SGC 10 | $23.00 | −$27.00 | 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 | $38.32 | $23.00 | $50.00 | $23.00 | — |
| 9.5 | — | — | — | — | $14.00 |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | $12.50 |
| 8 | — | — | — | — | $6.80 |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | $4.52 |
Run your own numbers
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Other 1986 Donruss Highlights cards worth checking
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Grading Don Mattingly #53 — FAQ
Is Don Mattingly #53 worth grading?
A PSA 10 Don Mattingly #53 brings $38.32 versus $1.47 raw — a $36.85 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($12.50) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.
How much is a PSA 10 Don Mattingly #53 worth compared with raw?
A PSA 10 Don Mattingly #53 (Baseball Cards 1986 Donruss Highlights) sells for about $38.32 versus $1.47 for a raw near-mint copy — a 26× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.
Which grading company is best for Don Mattingly #53?
By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $50.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $38.32. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.
What centering does Don Mattingly #53 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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