Is Don Mattingly [AL] #300 worth grading?
Baseball · Baseball Cards 1988 Topps · full price guide →
Worth grading — even a PSA 9 beats raw
A Grade 9.5 Don Mattingly [AL] #300 sells for $356 against $63.66 raw: a $292 spread, 5.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($324) 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)
- $63.66
- Grade 9.5
- $356
- PSA 9
- $324
- Gem premium
- 5.6×
- 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 | $356 | +$267 | +$242 | +$142 |
| PSA 9 | $324 | +$235 | +$210 | +$110 |
| PSA 8 | $294 | +$206 | +$181 | +$80.65 |
Net = sale price − $63.66 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% | $332 | +$218 |
| 50% | $340 | +$226 |
| 75% | $348 | +$234 |
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 | $356 |
| 9 | $324 |
| 8 | $294 |
| 7 | $150 |
Run your own numbers
Should I pay this?
Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.
Other 1988 Topps cards worth checking
Full set checklist →
Grading Don Mattingly [AL] #300 — FAQ
Is Don Mattingly [AL] #300 worth grading?
A Grade 9.5 Don Mattingly [AL] #300 sells for $356 against $63.66 raw: a $292 spread, 5.6× the ungraded price. Even a PSA 9 ($324) 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.
Check my card free