Midpoint - Card Centering Tool
Mark McGwire #697 (Baseball Cards 1990 Donruss) — is it worth grading?

Is Mark McGwire #697 worth grading?

Baseball · Baseball Cards 1990 Donruss · full price guide →

Worth grading only if it gems

A PSA 10 Mark McGwire #697 brings $29.99 versus $1.11 raw — a $28.88 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($12.28) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.

Raw (NM)
$1.11
PSA 10
$29.99
PSA 9
$12.28
Gem premium
27×
As of
Jul 11, 2026

Break-even by outcome and fee

Mark McGwire #697: net result of grading versus selling raw, by outcome and fee tier
If it comes back…Sells forEconomy / bulk (~$25.00)Standard (~$50.00)Express (~$150)
Gem — PSA 10$29.99+$3.88−$21.12−$121
PSA 9$12.28−$13.83−$38.83−$139
PSA 8$10.00−$16.11−$41.11−$141

Net = sale price − $1.11 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?

Mark McGwire #697: expected value of submitting by gem probability
Chance it gemsExpected saleExpected net (standard fee)
25%$16.71−$34.40
50%$21.13−$29.98
75%$25.56−$25.55

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
Mark McGwire #697: top-grade value by grading company with centering tolerance
Grader10 sells forvs bestFront centering for a 10Back
BGS 10$39.00best55/4570/30
PSA 10$29.99−$9.0155/4575/25
CGC 10$18.00−$21.0055/4575/25
SGC 10$18.00−$21.0055/4575/25

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.

Mark McGwire #697 graded prices by company and grade
GradePSACGCBGSSGCGraded
10$29.99$18.00$39.00$18.00
9.5$29.00
9$12.28
8$10.00

Run your own numbers

Should I pay this?

Enter the seller’s asking price to see your net outcome per grade.

Other 1990 Donruss cards worth checking

Full set checklist

Grading Mark McGwire #697 — FAQ

Is Mark McGwire #697 worth grading?

A PSA 10 Mark McGwire #697 brings $29.99 versus $1.11 raw — a $28.88 spread that covers an economy-tier ~$25 grading fee. A PSA 9 ($12.28) only about breaks even after fees, so the case rests on gemming.

How much is a PSA 10 Mark McGwire #697 worth compared with raw?

A PSA 10 Mark McGwire #697 (Baseball Cards 1990 Donruss) sells for about $29.99 versus $1.11 for a raw near-mint copy — a 27× premium as of Jul 11, 2026.

Which grading company is best for Mark McGwire #697?

By resale value, BGS 10 leads at $39.00, ahead of PSA 10 at $29.99. Fees and turnaround differ, so the best-paying label is not always the best net.

What centering does Mark McGwire #697 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.

Check my card free